


Unlike the others

by Mapachi



Category: Produce 101 (TV), UP10TION, X1 (Korea Band)
Genre: Aged-Up Character(s), Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Alternate Universe - College/University, Finally getting around to it, Getting Together, I'm Bad At Summaries, I'm Bad At Titles, M/M, Non-Traditional Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, alpha Jinhyuk, omega Wooseok
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-08-14
Updated: 2020-06-22
Packaged: 2020-08-23 22:00:58
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 10
Words: 23,346
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20237638
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mapachi/pseuds/Mapachi
Summary: If Wooseok has learned something in his life is that alphas don't deserve his trust.Will his new English partner prove him wrong?





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hello everyone~ Welcome to my first attempt at ABOverse, it was heavily requested so I hope those who requested it like it ^^

"Wooseok! I didn't expect you to actually come!" Wooseok doesn't need to turn around to know its Donghyun who is basically screaming right next to his ear so he's able to listen to him over the loud music that is being blasted through all the speakers surrounding the room.

The younger's arms are wrapped around him in a back hug so Wooseok places his hands on top of his, giving them a slight squeeze before Donghyun lets go and steps back, quickly taking his wrist in his hand and pulling him to turn around and follow him in the direction of the table he and their friends are sitting at.

"Oh! You came?" Is Jungmo's silly question. Minhee who is sitting next to him rolls his eyes but a smile blooms on his face.

"No, he's just a collective hallucination we all are having." Wooseok chuckles as he watches Jungmo turn towards Minhee and pushes him by the shoulder with a pout on his lips.

Donghyun pulls Wooseok to sit down next to him, his eyes still shining under the colorful lights as he looks at him, awed Wooseok was truly there with them.

Why were they so surprised? Well, Wooseok didn't enjoy going clubbing unlike the majority of the people his age. It is not that he didn't like dancing because he did or that he didn't enjoy drinking with his friends and have a good time in general.

To put it simply, Wooseok doesn't like how loud and crowded clubs are, he prefers to stay inside the apartment he shares with Yein. He could be laying on his comfortable bed wearing his worn down clothes instead of the tight pair of skinny black jeans that matches the navy blue button-up he's waring, his glasses back home as he is wearing his contacts instead and feeling his skin a little itchy thanks to the makeup Yein put on him, the younger being firm on 'dolling' him up.

His friends go back to the conversation they were having before Donghyun saw him and fetched him. Wooseok listens to them and eventually joins them, throwing his head back laughing moving a hand up to his face when Donghyun makes a teasing comment jabbing at Jungmo's latest obsession with collecting some fluffy keyrings that were too expensive.

"The price is worth it!" Jungmo tries to defend himself but Donghyun just gives him a cheeky grin.

"You do know they sell bags filled with pompoms for a much cheaper price right? Just glue on yourself the eyes and the keyring and that's it, spray some perfume in them I don't know." Minhee says joining on teasing the beta. Jungmo looks at Wooseok as if expecting him to take his side but the older just shrugs, there is no way he can defend him on this one.

Suddenly a glass filled with a bright blue liquid is placed in front of him. Wooseok turns to the side and up to meet the waiter's eyes, raising an eyebrow in question. The girl leans close enough so they are on the same eye level and lifts a thin finger to the right, towards the bar where an honestly attractive but older male lifts his drink towards them.

"From the gentleman over there," She backs away, a customer-friendly smile on her bright pink lips. "He's an alpha." She adds before turning on her heels and walking back towards the bar.

Wooseok meets the stranger's eyes, gives him a smirk before taking the blue lagoon. Instead of taking the drink to his lips like the other male must be expecting, Wooseok moves his hand forward to the middle of their table to the bucket that still has a few cans of beer on it alongside the ice used to keep them cold.

Then he tilts the glass on his hand, the blue alcoholic drink spilling into the bucket until the last drop, the stranger's eyes widening and his mouth falling open. Wooseok fakes a kind smile before putting the glass back on the table and turning back towards his friends who are trying their best to hold back from laughing.

Wooseok lets out a giggle himself and reaches inside the bucket to take a can of beer, popping it open as his friends finally burst into laughter.

"So, when are we hitting the dance floor?" Wooseok asks after he takes a big gulp of his drink, Jungmo basically jumping to his feet and rushing around the table, his hand finding Wooseok's and pulling him to follow him, a bright smile on his handsome face. Minhee and Donghyun following them only a few steps behind.

A couple of other alphas try to get _too close_ but a glare from Wooseok is thankfully enough to keep them away more often than not and when its not enough Jungmo steps in, placing his hands on Wooseok's waist and pulling him close to his chest, intimately nuzzling his neck, breathing in Wooseok's sweet honeysuckle scent and scenting him with his minty and fresh scent, tricking the alphas into thinking they must be mates.

Jungmo doesn't only do this with him but also with Minhee and Donghyun, the three omegas trusting him enough to do so. He still catches the way that Minhee sometimes tenses, baring his neck for Jungmo something he is still uncomfortable doing.

This is another reason why he didn't enjoy clubbing. The alphas that behaved like vultures, their eyes on him that stared at him as if he were a piece of meat or a toy for them to claim for themselves.

There was no way Wooseok could trust an alpha.

"Gosh he's so pretty." A boy, probably a freshman, whispers as Wooseok walks past him and his friend on his way to his class. "Too bad he's so _feisty_." Wooseok glances over his shoulder, his eyes cold making the beta flinch. The boy standing with him, another beta, pats his friend's back.

So yeah, Wooseok has quiet the reputation on campus.

He earned it since his first semester, when an alpha who was two years his senior thought it was a good idea to wrap an arm around his shoulders on the cafeteria. Wooseok had pushed his arm away and even turned to face him, his pink lips pushed back enough for his sharp -not as sharp as an alpha's or a beta's but still sharper than most omega's- canines to be shown.

People whispered his name and a couple of adjectives alongside it wherever he went but he couldn't care less, it was mostly done by alphas who couldn't get their head around an omega _acting up_ against them.

Wooseok had actually become something like an idol for omegas, especially male ones. Some even developing puppy crushes on him, like Donghyun who did a very bad job of hiding it.

Its not that Wooseok resented being an omega, back when he presented after his first heat at the tender age of 13 he had received nothing but support from his parents, his omega mother teaching him about everything he needed to know. His beta father had even bought and put together himself an armoire for his bedroom for Wooseok to use as his nest.

Wooseok's friends that presented as alphas were always nice to him and the only change in their behaviour was how protective they became, Sooil sometimes taking an extra coat for him to wear when they hanged out together, his strong alpha scent enough to keep other alphas from looking twice in his direction and Minsoo always walked him home after school.

What made Wooseok so hostile towards alphas was when in high school he kept finding himself in positions that made him scared and anxious, when a stronger and bigger than him alpha cornered him against a wall in the school's hallway and the other omegas and betas didn't dare to step in, his friends somehow always arriving on time and taking care of it.

He didn't like feeling so weak, hated praying someone would help him.

He finally gathered the courage to stand against an alpha when in their last year of high school, Sooil and Minsoo not around to help anymore, Wooseok entered Yein's classroom to pick him up and found his friend looking all kinds of uncomfortable as a trio of alphas Wooseok himself had troubles with before, were looming over his friend.

Wooseok had rushed to stand in front of Yein, a snarl on his lips and a growl he didn't knew he was cabaple of making crawling up his throat. His knees were shaking and he knew the other boys would soon smell the fear in him but he stood firm and glared at them, ordering them in a cold voice to leave them alone.

The alphas were shocked and thankfully left them alone, word spreading like wildfire thanks to the beta that had seen everything from the doorway and no one bothered him or Yein for the rest of the year.

Wooseok knew not all alphas were possesive and aggresive assholes -Sooil and Minsoo being the only exceptions he personally knows of- but he still couldn't trust any of them, no when he always sees the predatory glint in their eyes when they look at him.

That's why he's dreading the class he is walking into. It was barely two weeks into the semester so he shouldn't be dreading a class so early but last Friday before dismissing them, professor Haeyoon had told them she would be assgining the pairs for the rest of the course.

Why didn't he study English before? He should have joined his friends at their english academy back in high school or taken this class earlier but he kept pushing it back and now he had no option if he wanted to graduate so he had to take this intensive english course.

He sits on his usual seat, on the up front row and right next to the window. Wooseok is a few minutes early, just a handful of other students sitting on their seats. He feels someone staring at him and he turns to the right, meeting Sejin's eyes.

Sejin gives him a smile and a little wave that Wooseok reciprocates. Sejin is also an omega and Wooseok sometimes talks with him, he hopes they end up paired together.

More than anything he prays he doesn't get paired with one of the alphas, the odds are in his favor with only four alphas being in this class, the majority of the students being betas and omegas something Wooseok was thankful for.

A few minutes pass by and a handful of students hurry inside with professor Haeyoon closely behind them, a small smile on her red lips, her brown hair that is cut and styled in a perfect bop bouncing with her steps, the noise her heels make somehow louder than the chairs being pulled back.

She waits until everyone is seated before clearing her throat. "_Good morning everyone_!" A couple of students greet her back, accent heavy on their voices but her smile just becomes brighter. "Fist I need to apologize to all of you, I have a personal appointment so I won't be able to teach today's class. I'm going to announce the pairs and give you your first assgiment that you need to turn in tomorrow, okay?" A chorus of 'yes' makes her nod to herself and open the folder she holds against her chest.

Wooseok frowns when Sejin's name is called followed by a name that isn't his. Too bad. The pairs keep getting announced and he grows more nervous as his name isn't called.

"Kim Wooseok," Wooseok sits up straigher, professor Haeyoon's eyes glancing up from where she's reading the pairs and meets his big eyes, a glint that confuses him on her warm brown eyes. She then glances behind him, Wooseok's stomach dropping because he _knows_ who she is looking at, her smile broadening showing her pearly white teeth. "Lee Jinhyuk."

Wooseok doens't know how he is able to stop the groan that tried to escape him or how he doesn't just slam his head on the desk. Professor Haeyoon may look like an angel but she clearly was a devil in desguise.

Why else would she pair Wooseok with Lee Jinhyuk?

An alpha.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What's with these barely 2k chapters? Sorry they're short, hopefully you still like them?
> 
> Also thank you for all the support!! I didn't knew so many people were waiting for an ABOverse ^^;

Once professor Haeyoon dismisses them and leaves the classroom the pairs move to sit together. Wooseok though stays still, not even glancing back to where his partner is seated.

Jinhyuk, a business student that is from Wooseok's generation, is one of the most popular alphas on campus, you have to be living under a rock to not know who he is. His 'pack' is wide and includes not only students from all majors and generations but also omegas, betas, and even fellow alphas.

The chair next to his is pulled back, Wooseok glancing up to face Jinhyuk who has an amicable smile on his thin lips. He's tall, really fucking tall, he towers over Wooseok with not only his height but his broad shoulders.

Wooseok's body tenses in reaction, the instinct to either snarl or cower back one he barely wins over. Jinhyuk sits down next to him, leaving a respectable space between them that instead of making Wooseok relax just makes him warier.

The alphas that pretend to be nice and unoffensive to get close to him have been too many, that trick doesn't work on him.

"Nice to officially meet you, Wooseok." Jinhyuk says with a toothy grin on his face, Wooseok's eyes glancing at his sharp canines for a moment before he looks back up into Jinhyuk's dark eyes. "I'm Jinhyuk, your partner but you already know that."

Wooseok detects the hint of amusement on the alpha's voice but he fails to find what is so funny. The other male is hinting at Wooseok's reputation that is never seen as something positive by his kind. Not that he cares.

He turns away from him to his binder and opens it on the section he has assigned for this class, skimming through the few pages he has filled already until he reaches a blank one. Professor Haeyoon had said they could turn their assignments in a lined paper. Wooseok takes the pen he had left next to his binder and turns his head to look at his partner with a blank expression on his face.

"Are you going to do this or not?" Jinhyuk's smile drops a little, Wooseok seeing how the corners of his lips twitch. The older -because yeah Wooseok knows he is younger than Lee Jinhyuk, it was useless information but he had it for some reason- reaches for his backpack he had placed on the floor next to his seat and takes out a blue pen and small baby blue notebook, there's a small sun drawn with golden marker on the cover.

Wooseok glances up at Jinhyuk's hair. It's dyed an electric blue and in a comma style. Ok so Jinhyuk likes blue, another useless piece of information that Wooseok hopes his brain doesn't retain for long.

Without another word exchanged they get to work. Both boys switching between writing down and looking towards each other. Their first assignment was to write five sentences to describe each other's physical appearance, something pretty basic but it was Haeyoon's idea to get a better understanding of the class's general English level.

The first thing he writes down is 'He is tall' Wooseok stopping himself from adding a 'really' to the sentence, feeling too bitter to point it out.

'Jinhyuk has blue hair' He doesn't attempt to add it's dyed, not knowing the translation for it. Wooseok remembering the older's smile writes something else.

'Has sharp teeth' is something obvious with Jinhyuk being an alpha but even taking that into consideration, his teeth were sharper than the average one. He can't help but wonder if that plays a part in him being such a popular alpha.

Jinhyuk has not looked at him for a few moments too long, his hand moving over the paper as he writes. Wooseok takes the chance to stare at him, trying to notice another detail he can write.

The alpha's skin looks smooth and Wooseok can't find a single blemish, not even a hint of dark circles so he turns to his work again and writes 'He has perfect skin'.

Jinhyuk looks up at the same time Wooseok does, their eyes meeting. Wooseok curses internally when he glances away first, knowing it was something primal inside of him that forced him to do it, to not look at an alpha on their eyes, a submissive reaction. So he glances back into Jinhyuk's dark eyes refusing to look away first.

His eyes are shaped like almonds, his irises are a dark brown with a shine in them that reminds Wooseok of obsidian. Jinhyuk gives him a smile before looking away and writing something down on his notebook, the smile staying on his thin lips.

Wooseok writes one last sentence 'He has shiny black eyes'. He takes the page out and hands it to Jinhyuk who takes it tilting his head to the side. "She said five sentences were enough right? So there you go, I'm leaving now."

Jinhyuk opens his mouth as if to say something but Wooseok doesn't give him a chance, he takes his binder, pushes his pen into one of the pockets of his jeans and reaches down for his backpack before leaving the classroom.

Wooseok _really_ wishes he had studied English before.

Yein yelps from the living area when Wooseok slams the door shut behind him, definitely with more strength than needed but he can't bring himself to care. He kicks his shoes off and storms inside, ignoring how concerned his friend calls his name.

Wooseok enters his bedroom not bothering to close the door knowing Yein will follow after him, he drops his backpack by his bed before walking towards the door on the right wall next to his dresser and opening it walking inside the small closet room, his nest.

He closes the door behind him much calmer than the apartment's door, already feeling some of the tension leaving his body. He turns the fairy lights that hang from the ceiling and down the walls on before he gets on his knees and crawls to the middle of the small room.

Wooseok wraps himself with his favorite blanket out from the three he has, an old and worn out purple blanket. He leans back against the pile of soft pillows that he has collected through the years, their colors varying from pure white to pastel yellows and pinks, a couple of bright red cushions that match his dyed hair contrasting with the soft color scheme much like his favorite blanket does.

He takes in a couple deep breathes, his own scent all he can smell, the sweet mix of honey and something fruity, a hint of citrus being noticeable only in his nest. Wooseok closes his eyes and before he can count to ten Yein gently knocks on his door.

"Come in," Yein opens the door only enough for him to enter, closing it silently behind him. Wooseok shifts to make space for him and his friend crawl into it, opening his arms for Wooseok to lay almost on top of him.

Wooseok breathes a little easier when Yein's arms wrap around him, he places his head on top of his friend's chest, his ear right over where his heart is and hearing it beating helps Wooseok relax even more. Yein's sweet vanilla scent is barely detectable with Wooseok's overpowering it on the room but the sniff he catches of it makes the older sigh.

After what must have been at least twenty minutes Yein asks him in a soft voice if he wants to talk about what happened, Wooseok humming against him before nodding once.

"Professor Haeyoon paired me with _Lee Jinhyuk_ for the rest of the semester," Wooseok can't stop the way Jinhyuk's name comes out of his mouth like a curse. "The whole semester Yein! Its a Monday to Friday class!" No matter what he won't admit the whine in his voice.

Something ugly crawls up his chest and wraps itself around his heart, squeezing tighter and tighter with each breath he takes. Wooseok knows Jinhyuk has not done anything to make him feel uncomfortable but that doesn't mean he can let his guard down, he won't.

"Relax _Wooshinie_," The nickname brings Wooseok back to their childhood days, none of them can remember where it came from, not even Sooil who was the one to call him that the first time, days when everything was simpler because they were just kids, nothing to differentiate them and class them into different kinds and positions, no expectations of how they should behave with each other. "Everything will be alright, don't stress yourself out. If he ever tries something funny you will bite his head off and I'm sure he must know."

Yein's melodic giggle brings a smile to Wooseok's lips. He nuzzles his friend's chest and the arms around him pull him a little closer. Wooseok yawns, Yein moving one hand up to brush Wooseok's red hair making the sudden sleepiness too powerful for him to fight and so he falls asleep.

Wooseok arrives early to class as always, stopping on the doorway when he sees the seat next to his is taken by none other than his partner. A quick glance around the classroom shows that most of their classmates are also sitting with their partners so he shouldn't feel this bothered.

Jinhyuk glances up when Wooseok is a few steps away, that friendly smile of his forming in his face but Wooseok can't find it in himself to reply in kind. "_Good morning_ partner," Jinhyuk's pronunciation is funny but understandable.

Wooseok gives him a single nod as a greeting and sits down, next to him, knowing that taking another seat would be going overboard. He opens his backpack and takes out his pen and binder.

"Here, I read yours so you should read mine too," Jinhyuk says as he places their homework on top of Wooseok's binder.

He doesn't care to read it though and he turns to face him to tell him that but stops when his eyes meet Jinhyuk's. The older's smile reaches his eyes, the glint in them leaving Wooseok silent because he can't find it in himself to de curt unless he wants to feel like he's kicking a puppy.

So Wooseok lets out a small sigh and turns back to their homework, reaching for it. There was no need for a presentation sheet -professor Haeyoon said at the beginning of the course she didn't like wasting paper so unless it was an important assignment she didn't want them making presentation sheets- so the first page was his own work, their names and their pair number were written by Jinhyuk on the top left corner, he turns the page to find Jinhyuk's under it.

'Wooseok has red hair' At least his first sentence was not about his height.

'Wooseok is more small than me' 'Wooseok turns to face Jinhyuk who is staring at him watching his reaction. "Everyone is smaller than you," He points out with a frown on his face but Jinhyuk shrugs, his smile becoming a little broader. "It's '_smaller_' not '_more small_' by the way." That does make the smile on his lips drop and Wooseok smirks at him before reaching inside the front pocket of his backpack and taking out his correction fluid to cover his partner's mistake and handing the paper to him.

Jinhyuk takes it, writes down the correction Wooseok had made and hands it back to him, the tips of his ears having flushed red at some point.

'He has pale skin' Jinhyuk's skin tone is a few tones darker than his. More healthy-looking than Wooseok's pale skin that made it seem as if he never saw the sun.

'Wooseok is pretty' It is not the first time someone points it out, Wooseok is fully aware his face above average on the beauty standard, plenty of times people have tried to scout him on the streets -entertainment and model agencies- but he still sends a quick sideways glance towards Jinhyuk.

'Wooseok has big and beautiful eyes'

Professor Haeyoon enters right at that moment so Wooseok hands Jinhyuk back their homework, mumbling under his breath that he will be the one to take it to her when she asks for it, the older thankfully not complaining.

Wooseok's mood sours, cursing his treacherous heart for fluttering against his chest. He can't allow a compliment about his eyes make him feel _things_.

Especially not for an alpha.


	3. Chapter 3

Wooseok is definitely sure that professor Haeyoon is a devil in disguise, behind that sweet and seemingly innocent smile of hers she was evil.

That's the only reason she could think of that project she had just announced and judging by the groans and whines a handful of other students make, he knows he's not the only one that thinks like that.

But she just claps her hands thrice in that way of hers that somehow is able to make everyone go quiet. "_Now now class_, it's not something hard to do," Her big eyes move from face to face until they stop in Wooseok's for a moment longer than with the rest. "I'm sure you're going to fondly look back on this once the semester is done!"

She dismisses the class before they can start complaining again and the classroom becomes loud with the way the students start grumbling amongst each other once again, some finding the situation amusing but Wooseok is not one of them.

He turns to face Jinhyuk who turns to him at the same time. This time when their eyes meet Wooseok doesn't look away, already prepared to stop the instinct that tells him to not look directly at an alpha's eyes.

"So, what should our first topic be?" Jinhyuk asks, tilting his head to the side, Wooseok's eyes glancing for a moment at the unmarked skin before he looks back into Jinhyuk's dark eyes.

Wooseok lets out a sigh before he shrugs. Professor Haeyoon had the _brilliant_ idea to ask of them to prepare a topic to have a conversation off in front of the class, of course in English.

Weekly.

Every single Friday for the rest of the semester or until professor Haeyoon decided was enough Wooseok would have to stand in front of the whole class, facing Jinhyuk -more like having to look up at him, curse Jinhyuk's height, why did he have to be so tall?- and recite from memory a previously prepared conversation.

The supposed purpose of the project was to make them get to know each other while also improving their English skills but Wooseok was sure the real purpose was to torture him.

Jinhyuk stands up and slips one of his arms through one of the shoulder straps of his backpack, reaching inside the right pocket of his jeans to take his phone out -that, of course, had a vibrant blue phone case- swiping his unlocking pattern and after a couple of taps on the screen, he hands it to Wooseok.

The younger stares at the device with clear distaste.

"I have to go to class right now so I can't stay to decide on a topic, give me your number and we can talk about it later." Wooseok stands up, hating how Jinhyuk towers above him even when he is also standing but at least he doesn't feel as smaller than when he remains sitting.

He takes Jinhyuk's phone and types in his number before handing it back to him. Jinhyuk's fingers brushing against his and Wooseok retreats his hand a tad bit faster than normal but neither boy makes a mention of it.

Wooseok expects Jinhyuk to turn around and walk away but he doesn't, instead, he looks down at his phone, his thumb pressing down on the screen a couple of times and then Wooseok feels his phone vibrate inside his pocket.

The alpha stares at him as Wooseok takes his phone out, a grin blooming on his face when Wooseok glances down to see he's being called by an unknown number. Jinhyuk turns his phone to show him the screen confirming he's the one calling him.

Wooseok declines the call but that just makes Jinhyuk chuckle. "Talk to you later partner!" And after saying that he turns on his heels and walks out, stopping once on the doorway to glance back and wave at him with that bright toothy smile on his face before continuing on his way out not showing any reaction to Wooseok not reciprocating any of his gestures.

"Why are you texting someone called 'English'?" Wooseok glances to the side to find Jungmo's face a few centimeters away from his own. Before Wooseok can explain Yein lets out a groan in front of him and the older turns his attention to him in time to see how he rolls his eyes.

"That's Lee Jinhyuk, his English partner." Jungmo's eyes widen and he sits down next to Wooseok, placing his tray down in front of him. He turns to look at Wooseok and he can read the concern in his eyes. "He will be ok Jungmo, don't worry about him," Yein says while reaching with his chopsticks to take a piece of radish from Jungmo's plate and popping it into his mouth, the younger not even noticing it with how he keeps looking at Wooseok.

Jungmo doesn't look too convinced by Yein's words but before he can say anything, Minhee sits down next to him and the beta turns his attention to him, quickly asking the younger boy about how his day had been so far.

Wooseok shares a look with Yein as Minhee and Jungmo start talking. They have an ongoing bet about when will Jungmo confess to Minhee. Yein bets it will take another semester while Wooseok thinks it's about time he does it.

His phone vibrates on his hand and he looks down to see he's getting a call by none other than 'English'. Wooseok hesitates for a moment before sighing and accepting the call, he had been texting him moments before so declining the call would be too much.

"_Hi!_" Wooseok flinches away from his phone, Jinhyuk's heavily accented greeting louder than he expected. His friends look at him confused but he waves his hand at them in a 'don't mind me' gesture. "I'm at the cafeteria, can I sit with you? We can get work done faster face to face."

Wooseok sits up straighter and glances around the room, looking for a tall boy with electric blue hair should be easy but for some reason, he can't find him.

"I'm sitting with a couple of friends Wooseok," Wooseok's face heats up in embarrassment, the amusement in Jinhyuk's voice so clear he can imagine the smile on his face. "You can say no, by the way, I don't want to intrude." He sounds honest like he truly would be ok with Wooseok rejecting his request.

He does have a point. Wooseok has never been big on texting and while still not being much of a talker he does talk more in person. "You're right it will be faster that way, you can come." His friends look even more confused at his words. Jinhyuk tells him he'll go then and hangs up.

"What was that about?" Minhee asks but Wooseok's eyes are still glancing around the cafeteria, unable to stop himself from feeling on edge when he finds Jinhyuk standing up from a table on the other side of the room.

"Jinhyuk is coming here so we can work on our project, we need to prepare a conversation about our hobbies for this Friday. I hope that is ok with you?" Their eyes widen and their mouths fall open but none make a noise, Wooseok squirming on his seat.

"You, Kim Wooseok, allowing Lee Jinhyuk, an alpha, to sit down with you out of class?" Yein asks completely incredulous. Wooseok is about to point out Sooil and Minsoo have joined them before but he stops when he notices Jinhyuk is but a meter away.

Jinhyuk sits down right in front of him, next to Yein who is staring at him as if he couldn't believe what he was seeing. The alpha gives Wooseok's friends a little bow, that friendly smile on his thin lips as he introduces himself and they all introduce themselves.

Wooseok is not ready for when Jinhyuk turns his complete attention to him, his smile broadening and his dark eyes shining as he looks at him. "So, you said you like reading right? What is your favorite genre?" Jinhyuk sounds truly curious as if he was not asking for the assignment's sake.

The redhead looks away from Jinhyuk's eyes but not because of a primal instinct to submit to the alpha in front of him but because he doesn't know what to do when Jinhyuk looks at him with that sparkle in his eyes.

"We need to write this down to translate it later," Wooseok mumbles reaching for his backpack to take out his binder, Jinhyuk moving Wooseok's tray with the empty plates away so he can place his binder on the freed space. Wooseok glances at his friends that have remained quiet looking at them. "You go back to what you were doing."

Jinhyuk and he spent the next 20 something minutes talking, Wooseok writing down the main points of their conversation before Jinhyuk stands up when Yein points out the time to Wooseok, the redhead needing to go to the other side of campus for his next class.

"This should be enough for this week's topic, see you tomorrow." Wooseok says to Jinhyuk, not waiting for a response before turning his attention to his friends and biding them goodbye with a much warmer tone before he turns around and hurries out the cafeteria.

He tries to convince himself he's hurrying because he doesn't have much time to make it to his class and not because he wants to get away from Jinhyuk who had somehow made him forget he had been talking to an alpha.

Wooseok stops by the school's library before going on his way back home, he needs to pick up a book to start working on another assignment he had been procrastinating on.

He's reading the book spines looking for the book that professor Seokhoon had mentioned when he hears someone talk on the other side of the bookshelf. Wooseok would have ignored them had he not heard his name.

"Hey did you hear that Wooseok was talking with Jinhyuk at the cafeteria today?" He can't recognize the voice but Wooseok is not surprised about it.

"What? Don't you mean he snapped at him or something?" Wooseok rolls his eyes. He doesn't go around snapping at every alpha he comes across, just the ones that try their luck with him.

"No!" He cringes at how loud the other male _whispers_ if it still could be called that. "They were sitting together and talking. No snarling, no growling not even glaring."

"Jinhyuk has domesticated that _bitch_? Woah he should get a medal I never thought this day would come."

Wooseok's blood boils, he feels how his lips move back in a snarl and he doesn't bother stopping the growl that crawls up his chest. The two gossiping males on the other side of the bookshelf yelp before they rush away, their steps hurried and Wooseok barely stop himself from going after them.

He closes his eyes and slowly counts to ten, taking in deep breaths to calm himself down. A dark cloud is trying to envelop him inside of his mind, voices inside his mind whispering about how he must indeed have come off like that to the other students, he had let his guard down in front of Jinhyuk, had forgotten the other male was an alpha.

But Jinhyuk has not done anything to make Wooseok uncomfortable so far.

The older had kept a respectable distance between them when inside the classroom the last two days, asked for his permission first before going to sit with him and there was no hint of dominance in his body language when talking with him.

Nothing to indicate that he wanted Wooseok to submit to him like so many alphas have tried before.

But even then, the fact remains that Jinhyuk is an alpha. If Wooseok were to let his guard down any further Jinhyuk may take the chance to assert his dominance.

Wooseok will not give him such an opportunity.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Uni is back but I'm also back!!
> 
> I'm really sleepy so I'm sorry for any typos or mistakes ^^; I'll correct them tomorrow when I'm back
> 
> Hope you enjoy this chapter~!

Yein helps him translate their dialogue, the younger having already finished his English studies back in high school and being the second-best English speaker he knew of -Mogu has a native level of fluency but he knew the beta was busy with his assignments- so they are able to finish it that night. Wooseok paying for the pizza they order for dinner.

He knows Yein knows something happened that had made him upset but since Wooseok had not run to his nest like last time he didn't make any questions and just kept an eye on him.

Wooseok takes a photo of their scrip and sends it to Jinhyuk, the older replying a few minutes later with a couple of surprised stickers and telling him he should not have done all the work by himself but Wooseok just tells him to not worry about it, he could always take care of next week's.

He stays up late all night working on professor Seokhoon's assignment because it's one he can't half-ass, not if he wants to get a passing grade. Wooseok regrets having not gotten around to it before as the hours pass by and he realizes he will end up struggling to stay awake on his classes.

Wooseok is far too early, the class before English having ended up only 20 minutes into the class because professor Seoham forgot to grab the USB where he stores the material he needs to teach the class properly.

There's, of course, no one inside the classroom. The moment he sits down on his seat he yawns, his eyes prickling with tears that he brushes away before they can escape his eyes. The day has been a little colder than usual but that just makes him more drowsy.

Wooseok lays his head on top of his arms and closes his eyes. He might as well take the chance to take a brief nap, he's sure he will wake up when the classroom becomes louder as his classmates enter.

His dream doesn't make sense, they rarely do. One moment he's strolling in a park with Yein and Minsoo, their conversation nonsense from what he's able to catch, and the other he's dancing in a club with Jungmo pressed against his back forcing a random alpha's stare away from him.

Then he finds himself alone and cold in a dark forest. Wooseok can hear people talking around him but they're so far away he can't make out what they say. The scenario is not a stranger for him, he has had nightmares that start like this many times before and his dream self feels his chest getting heavier and heavier as the voices come closer.

Wooseok feels a whimper starting to form in his chest but before it can crawl up, a warmness envelopes him and with it comes a smell that makes him relax, the tension easing off his body, the voices disappearing.

He curls up on the ground but not because he's scared, on the contrary, its because he doesn't feel like he needs to bolt out the place anymore. Wooseok sniffs the air around him trying to put a name to the comforting smell. It's woody and reminds Wooseok of Sooil but at the same time it's so different, it's more subtle than his friend's scent.

There's a hint of another scent, a citric one that brings him back memories of sitting on the living room of his parent's home as they watch TV together, a blanket around him and his fingers busy peeling a juicy mandarin.

"_Wooseok_,"

He looks around, the voice that calls his name slightly familiar but he can't put a name to it. His name is called again and this time a hand is placed on his shoulder, Wooseok flinching away from the touch.

Everything is too bright when he opens his eyes so he closes them again, moving his hands towards his face as he sits back. The hand on his shoulder disappears.

Wooseok rolls his shoulders back and that is when he notices a weight that had not been there before so he moves his hands away from his face to glance at his shoulder.

A black coat that doesn't belong to him. He looks to his right, his big eyes meeting Jinhyuk's, a small smile on the older's face. "You looked cold." He whispers as an explanation, his voice softer than Wooseok has heard it in the past two days. Wooseok glances to the front of the classroom to find professor Haeyoon writing on the blackboard.

Wooseok takes off the coat, his nose catching a sniff of its smell as he pushes it to Jinhyuk's side, the same comforting scent he had smelled in his dream.

Jinhyuk's scent.

"Thank you." He mumbles under his breath, Jinhyuk's smile turning brighter as he tells him it was nothing. Wooseok moves his right hand to his face, covering his flushing cheek in an attempt to hide it from Jinhyuk's sight.

He spends the rest of the class too aware of how he can still detect Jinhyuk's scent on his clothes.

Wooseok wonders if he could skip the next couple of classes to go back home and change his clothes. Maybe also take a shower. His eyes start becoming heavy again and he decides he should just skip the rest of the day, the idea of sleeping in his nest that smells only of him sounding like heaven right now.

He will need to ask Yein to turn in his assignment for him before doing any of that though.

When professor Haeyoon dismisses them, Wooseok hurriedly puts away his stuff and stands up, he can feel Jinhyuk's eyes on him but he ignores him. He's set on not allowing him to get closer, they are just partners for this class, nothing more and he wants it to stay that way.

"Hey Wooseok," Wooseok curses internally when he glances at the alpha as he was making his way around the desk. Jinhyuk is looking at him, a frown on his face and his stare heavy.

Jinhyuk stands up, once again just slipping one arm through one of the shoulder straps of his backpack letting it hang from just one shoulder. Wooseok tilts his face only enough to keep their eye contact as Jinhyuk takes one step closer to him, refusing to look away.

Then Jinhyuk's hands are cupping his face, his touch feather-light allowing Wooseok to step back if he wanted.

But for some reason, he stays still.

Jinhyuk's thumbs carefully brush right under his eyes. "Are you ok? Did you even sleep last night?" Wooseok doesn't understand why Jinhyuk sounds so honestly worried for him and he guesses Jinhyuk can read his thoughts, the disbelief blatant in his eyes. "I don't think you're the kind of person to just fall asleep alone in a classroom."

"He isn't," Both Jinhyuk and him turn to the side where Sejin is standing, his eyes also looking at Wooseok with worry in them. Jinhyuk's hands finally move back, Wooseok's face suddenly feeling cold. A natural reaction taking into consideration the cold weather and how warm the alpha's hands were. "Did you pull an all-nighter doing Seokhoon's assignment?"

Wooseok can't believe he had forgotten Sejin is also taking that class, both have the same major and are of the same generation. "Uh yeah, I did." He tries to give the other omega a smile but he knows he makes a weak attempt that neither Sejin or Jinhyuk believe.

"You should go back home and sleep, you're basically half-dead at this point and won't learn anything anyway. Give me your work I'll turn it in for you." Sejin extends his hand to him, his tone making it clear he's not going to accept anything but for Wooseok to do as he says. Jinhyuk looks surprised at the smaller male, clearly not having expected this situation.

Wooseok lets out a sigh and nods before slipping an arm out the shoulder strap of his backpack and to pull it to his chest so he can open it and take the folder with his assignment, Sejin taking it out of his grasp before Wooseok could hand it to him.

"Now go rest, see you tomorrow," Sejin turns to Jinhyuk, tilting his head up to face him properly without hesitation. "Could you make sure he gets home?" Jinhyuk nods his head, his dark eyes serious as he accepts his mission but Wooseok protests that he doesn't need to do that, Jinhyuk has his own classes to attend to. "I can contact Sooil then because if he knows you're going around in your current state he won't let you go home alone."

Wooseok stops himself from whining like a child. Trust Sooil to know everyone on his major, why did Wooseok have to pick the same major as his friend? He had basically signed up for Sooil keeping tabs on him.

As if to threaten Wooseok, Sejin takes his phone out his pocket, his big eyes looking straight into his.

"I don't need someone to babysit me, Sejin." Is what Wooseok grumbles. He appreciates Sejin caring for him but he hates being treated like a weak little thing. He's not about to pass out -ok it may feel like he is but he is not going to actually do that!- so he really doesn't need someone to accompany him back home.

"I'll accompany him, don't worry Sejin." Wooseok turns to glare at Jinhyuk but the older is not even looking at him, instead, he's giving Sejin that sunny smile of his. Sejin gives the alpha a smile back and thanks him, sliding his phone back into his pocket and waving at them before turning around and leaving, only a couple of other students remaining inside the classroom.

Wooseok is still glaring when Jinhyuk glances at him, he's about to give him a piece of his mind when Jinhyuk opens his mouth first. "Don't worry, I will just walk you out of campus ok? Just text me when you're home." Wooseok's eyes widen, not having expected Jinhyuk to have taken his side on this, to respect his wish.

He feels relieved.

When they exit the building Wooseok shivers. He really had not expected the day to turn so cold and he blames having forgotten his coat on his lack of sleep. His trip back home is not that long so he doesn't think he'll get frostbite or anything.

"Oh!" Jinhyuk exclaims next to him, his thin lips forming a circle shape before he closes them and reaches for his backpack as he stops walking, Wooseok stopping a couple of steps ahead and turning back to look at him confused.

Seconds after, he takes out a navy blue scarf and without any hesitation closes the distance between them, leaving but a step between them and he wraps it around Wooseok's neck, covering the lower half of Wooseok's face while also making sure his neck is properly protected from the cold being careful to not accidentally brush his fingers against the skin.

The scarf smells so strongly of Jinhyuk's scent and Wooseok knows later he will deny how it soothes him. The omega once again feels confused about why he's allowing him to do as he wishes like back inside the classroom when he cupped his face.

Wooseok is just going to blame it on how tired he is. He can't find the energy to fight seemingly innocent gestures from the alpha.

Jinhyuk reaches inside his backpack once again and takes out a pair of black knitted gloves, gently putting them on Wooseok's hands. He gives him a smile, the beaming kind that Wooseok's tired state finds enjoying being on the receiving end of.

"I would offer you my coat too but you won't accept that, right?" Wooseok chuckles before nodding his head once. Jinhyuk acknowledging that doing something like that would be pulling his boundaries makes him feel _funny_. "Make sure to check out the weather forecast next time, I can't have my English partner getting sick on me."

Wooseok rolls his eyes and continues walking, reaching up with one gloved hand to pull on the scarf so he can hide his reddening face. The woody and citric scent becoming stronger as he covers the tip of his nose with the soft material.

Jinhyuk easily walks next to him, matching his pacing with the omega's and filling the silence for both of them. Wooseok listens as Jinhyuk goes on about this game he thinks Wooseok would enjoy, offering to lend it to him the next day.

The younger finds himself ignoring the voice inside of his mind as he replies he would like to try out the game, Jinhyuk's smile broadening revealing his white teeth, his sharp canines still making something inside of Wooseok want to put up his defenses.

But as the alpha's scent is all he can smell and his smile accompanied by his dark eyes that look at him without any of the characteristic predatory glint in them that Wooseok is used to getting from other alphas, Wooseok finds himself letting his guard down.

He _really_ needs to sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Will Sooil actually make an appearance? Stay tuned to know


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm back~ Hope you enjoy this update ^^

Wooseok drops his backpack by the end of his bed before he takes off Jinhyuk's gloves and scarf, placing them on top of his desk that is still a mess with a couple of books, an array of pens and sheets filled with notes and random scribbles.

His clothes and his very own skin still are impregnated with Jinhyuk's scent so the option of going into his nest is immediately discarded. Wooseok doesn't want to mix Jinhyuk's scent into his nest.

But the idea of taking a shower sounds like a hassle right now. He had fallen asleep on the bus but the high schooler omega who was seated next to him shook him awake on a stop worried he had missed his. Thankfully there were still a couple more stops before his.

Wooseok takes out his phone and sends Jinhyuk a brief text.

'I'm home'

He doesn't want to change his clothes risking getting Jinhyuk's scent into them too so he decides to just sleep as he is dressed. Wooseok places his phone next to his pillow and lays down, sleep coming easily to him and pulling him under.

  
Wooseok wakes up around 5 pm, his stomach growling and still feeling tired but he knows he should stop sleeping for now so he can go to bed early and fix his ruined sleeping schedule. He hears Yein talking with familiar voices on the living area, a smile growing on his lips without him realizing.

He opens his bedroom door and sees Yein laying on the couch, his head placed on Minsoo's thighs, the alpha's fingers brushing the omega's hair. Sooil is sitting next to Minsoo with his arm thrown around his shoulders.

"Seok!" Sooil is the first to notice him, a smile forming on his handsome face. Minsoo and Yein turn to him. "Good to have you back on the land of the living." Wooseok rolls his eyes and walks towards the kitchen only lifting a hand to give them a small wave. "Be a dear and bring me another can of soda!"

"Come for it yourself." Wooseok grumbles, not a tinge of true annoyance on his voice to be found but he always plays like this with his friends. Sooil whines some more about 'How cruel lil Wooseokie is to him' before Wooseok hears who he guesses must have been Yein slapping Sooil's thigh and the older stands up.

He is looking through the fridge for something to eat when he feels Sooil's familiar presence behind him as the alpha reaches inside for his drink. Wooseok expects Sooil to go back to their friends but instead, Sooil stays right behind him.

Wooseok grabs a plastic container with leftover fried rice and steps back to close the fridge, his back pressing against Sooil's chest. "What are you doing? Move." He pushes his friend back with an elbow, a grunt leaving Sooil not having expected the aggression.

Before he can walk towards the microwave to reheat his food, Sooil grabs his shoulder and turns him around, bending down enough for his face to be centimeters away from Wooseok's neck. The only alphas that could get away with this are Sooil and Minsoo, Wooseok knows if any other alpha or even a beta tried this he would have already kneeled them on their crotch or stomach.

Sooil's hand falls on his waist keeping him in place as he sniffs him, the warm air he breathes out tickling Wooseok. "Don't get your snot on me." He jokes his hand that is not holding the plastic containers reaching towards Sooil's chest as if he were going to push him away but keeping it there.

The alpha leans back, his eyes wider than usual as he looks down at him. Wooseok tilts his head to the side confused for a moment before he realizes what is going on and he pushes Sooil away, turning around and walking towards the microwave before Sooil can see the way his face is heating up.

"Don't say anything Sooil or I swear-"

"Guys! Wooseok smells of another alpha!" Wooseok curses under his breath as his friend basically screams towards their friends, both males loudly expressing their surprise and confusion.

Minsoo and Yein rush into the kitchen but Wooseok refuses to turn around and instead stares at his food inside the microwave, the timer counting down the seconds for him to take it out.

Suddenly he feels Yein's familiar arms wrap around his middle, his small nose brushing the back of Wooseok's neck as he sniffs him, a shiver running down Wooseok's back. Yein steps back before Wooseok could do anything to him. Not that he would either way.

"Yep, definitely an alpha!" Yein confirms too loudly considering how small their kitchen is. Minsoo and Sooil start asking Yein questions without giving the omega a chance to answer any of them. 'Have you met him?' 'Why didn't we know of this?' 'Is he handsome?' 'Is he _good_?' 'Do we need to scare him just in case?'

"Jinhyuk, my English partner, lent me his scarf that's all! I forgot my coat and it was really cold today so can you stop gushing like a bunch of teenage girls?" Wooseok says, his voice loud enough to be heard above his friend's nonstop speaking, glancing over his shoulder to look at each of them in their eyes.

The microwave beeps and Wooseok turns back to it, taking his meal out carefully to not get burned. Yein hands him a plate and chopsticks, Wooseok thanking him in a small voice.

"Jinhyuk as in Lee Jinhyuk?" Wooseok barely glances at his friend before he continues, a small smile growing on his face. "He's a good guy." The look that Minsoo gives him for some reason makes Wooseok look away. "Gyujin is friends with him and he has never said anything negative about him."

"But its _Gyujin_, he never talks bad about anyone." Sooil points out, a protective glint in his eyes that Wooseok has grown so accustomed to since the day he presented as an omega and Sooil took it upon himself to protect him.

"He complains all the time about Hwanhee and Dongyeol." Everyone turns to Yein with blank expressions, the omega shrugging with a smile on his face. "I was just saying."

"Anyways, I'm surprised you accepted a scarf from him and also didn't immediately shower," Wooseok replies that had been his intention but he was too tired and he was going to shower after he was done eating anyways.

Also, it had been really cold so excuse him for not wanting to risk getting sick.

Thankfully the topic is dropped and they go back to the living area. Sooil grumbling once about how he's not used to Wooseok smelling of another alpha but by the tone in his voice he knows he's just teasing him and for that Wooseok digs his elbow on his side.

  
Wooseok is practicing his lines under his breath as he waits for class to start. Yein had helped him once again, pointing out the words that Wooseok made mistakes with and the ones where he needed to work harder on, also praising him when he pronounced something well.

He turns to the doorway when Jinhyuk walks in, his height and electric blue hair making him stand out amongst the other students that walk inside before him.

Jinhyuk grins at him when their eyes meet across the classroom, Wooseok feeling how the corners of his lips start curving upwards before he presses his lips into a line.

The alpha sits down next to him, barely glancing at his neatly folded scarf with his gloves on top that Wooseok had placed on the older's side of the desk. "_Good morning_ Wooseok, are you ready for today?" He sounds too excited taking into consideration they will have to stand in front of the whole class and speak in their broken and accented English in the next hour.

Wooseok nods his head once and Jinhyuk's smile broadens asking if he wants to practice together before professor Haeyoon gets there. The omega nods again and Jinhyuk moves on his chair so he can face him properly.

  
"You're such a weeb." Wooseok whispers after class is dismissed and Jinhyuk hurries to open his backpack and hand him a Nintendo 3Ds with a charger for it. He had already forgotten agreeing to this the day before, he doesn't even remember the videogame's name.

Jinhyuk lets out a laugh as he zips his backpack closed again with his scarf and gloves inside of it and for once putting it on properly. "I've been told that before but you agreed to give it a try so I would not be so quick to call me out on it." There's a tilt in his voice that Wooseok can only interpret as teasing.

Wooseok rolls his eyes but his lips betray him as he smiles.

Instead of walking away he waits for Jinhyuk to stand next to him before taking a step towards the exit of the classroom, glancing up at him as he asks him to repeat what the videogame is about.

Jinhyuk beams at him as he goes on about the general plot, moving his hands as he speaks, his dark eyes shining with enthusiasm and being careful to not spoil anything to him, and they leave the building side by side.

Neither male pays attention to the heads that turn twice in their direction as they walk through campus instead they focus on each other and their conversation.

Their next topic is decided before they part ways to go to their respective buildings for their next class.

Videogames.

  
"Everyone is going to know you're also a weeb now Wooseok." Hwanhee barely stands up and moves in time to evade Wooseok's fist, a loud laugh leaving his lips. Jinhyuk chuckles next to him and the omega turns to glare at him, the alpha giving him an apologetic smile that doesn't reach his eyes.

They are sitting together on a couch in a common room of one of their university's dorm buildings, the TV screen in front of them playing a random anime that Wooseok had never even heard of before.

Why was he there though? Well, Jinhyuk had insisted he needed to check for himself if Wooseok was as good as he proclaimed to be at _Super Smash Bros_ so they settled on dropping by Gyujin's dorm where the younger had a copy of the game and a Gamecube.

Jinhyuk had beaten him. Embarrassingly quick.

So when Wooseok got bored of playing -no, he was _not_ sulking, no matter how much Hwanhee insisted he was.- Jinhyuk decided to show him an anime he had been watching.

"Hwanhee help me bring some snacks." Gyujin says as he stands up from where he had been sitting on Jinhyuk's other side, the younger beta whining but he still follows Gyujin on their way to the kitchen area leaving Wooseok and Jinhyuk alone.

It was a Tuesday, only 8 days since he officially met Lee Jinhyuk when they were paired together for their English class.

Yet Wooseok found himself at ease with the alpha. Enough for his nerves to not stand on edge as they sit side by side much closer than they do in class because of how Hwanhee and Gyujin had been occupying most of the space by their sides.

He can't blame it on a sleepy and tired state, he's wide awake and rested and he is not forgetting that Jinhyuk is an alpha and he is an omega either but the older still hasn't tried to assert his dominance even once.

So Wooseok finds himself letting his guard down, allowing the other male to slowly but surely become a part of his life as something more than a partner for a class.

Jinhyuk was popular for a reason, he was friendly with everyone even to him who was well known to keep alphas away. Wooseok guesses having a new alpha friend after so many years wouldn't hurt.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And the plot moves forward!


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Uh...Hello? Is anyone still here?
> 
> First off, I'm really sorry for having taken so long to update!! And its also the usual 2k chapter for this story and you deserve more than that I know it! So I'm double sorry! *bows*

Wooseok is walking outside of campus with Minhee and Jungmo by his sides, the youngest going on about how Donghyun was hanging out too much with a beta from the Arts department, the whiny tone that kept slipping into his voice making it clear how he felt about it. His phone vibrates inside his pocket and he slides it out while giving each boy a quick glance to see their reactions.

_'I was craving some chicken feet and feel pretty gracious so drop by if you want me to treat you too'_   
_-English, 4:17pm_

"Wooseok are you listening?" He glances to the side to find himself faced with Minhee's disapproving face, the furrow on his brows and his lower lip tucked out in a pout. "With that smile on your face, I'm sure you're not."

He can't even deny Minhee's words, he can feel the smile his lips have formed without him realizing. Instead, he turns his smile into an apologetic one. "Sorry Mini, I'm sure Donghyun knows what he is doing anyways." Saying that spurts Minhee into another rant about how he can't be too sure, Donghyun while wise can be very naive if he involves his emotions too much.

He does have a point, Donghyun with his bright eyes and seemingly unlimited positivity can easily become a target for someone with the wrong intentions under a friendly mask. 

But still, Wooseok trusts Donghyun's instincts and wits. If something does happen, well, Wooseok will have to make sure that beta doesn't dare to mess with Donghyun again but he'll get to it when he has to.

Right now he has his _own_ issues to worry about regarding people with secondary genders different to his.

Or well, calling it an _issue_ would probably be him overreacting, he's sure at least Yein, Donghyun and Minsoo would tell him as such, Jungmo and Sooil would worry and Minhee would stay neutral.

But it doesn't feel like an overreaction to him, at least not completely. This realization he had last week is bothering him in ways he's not sure how to feel about, what to do if he should even _do_ something.

Its been over a month since he, Kim Wooseok an omega with a reputation to snap at every single alpha that looks his way started calling Lee Jinhyuk, one of the most popular alphas on campus, his _friend_.

Last week Wooseok realized that when Jinhyuk asks him to hang out there's always another couple of friends with them, at least one. When their mutual friends are not available Jinhyuk invites someone else that he introduces to Wooseok and they're never an alpha.

The omega thinks he should be ok with this. He enjoys spending time with their mutual friends too and the new ones he has made because of Jinhyuk are all very nice too like the adorable omega Hyeongjun and Seungyeon who like Wooseok didn't seem to fit the cliche of their secondary gender that is until he saw how utterly _motherly_ he was with his boyfriend's younger brother. 

So why is he feeling annoyed when he enters the small chicken place near their campus where Jinhyuk asked him to come if he wanted to take him up on the offer for free chicken legs and sees the alpha is not alone, a dimply and handsome omega sitting _too_ close next to him.

Jinhyuk as if feeling Wooseok's stare on them glances up in his direction, the smile he already has on his thin lips broadening and waving at him to come closer.

Wooseok sits down in front of them on the other side of the table dropping his backpack on the chair next to his. "You didn't tell me Byungchan would come along." He mumbles before he can stop himself immediately regretting it when he can taste the bitterness in his tone and by the way the other omega leans away from Jinhyuk he knows he heard it just fine. "I would have invited Yein, you two got along really well last time." Is what he adds in an attempt to recover himself, an attempt of a smile forming in his face as he turns towards the other omega.

It was not a lie though, Yein and Byungchan had become fast friends the week before when Jinhyuk with Byungchan in town stopped by their lunch table to ask something about English class that he had missed because he had skipped the day before.

If Jinhyuk was able to hear the bite in Wooseok's question he doesn't show it, instead, he promises to not forget to mention next time he brings Byungchan with him and easily changes the topic.

Wooseok finds himself frowning without understanding why.

Ok, maybe he's worried that Jinhyuk is making sure they're never alone because he's secretly afraid of him. An alpha being afraid of an omega? That goes against their very nature but Wooseok can't help but toy with the idea.

Maybe Jinhyuk is plain uncomfortable with being alone with him? After all, Wooseok has his reputation and while Jinhyuk had never made any mention of it or referred to it be it in a conversation or with his actions, there is still a chance the idea of being alone together with an omega like Wooseok may trouble him.

A part of him knows this isn't true.

Wooseok dares to believe, truly believe, that Jinhyuk is not the type of alpha that would get influenced by rumors or 'reputations' but he can't think of any other reason...

Unless he's doing it for Wooseok.

Making sure that its Wooseok who is not uncomfortable being alone with him.

With a groan he rolls over in his nest, pressing his face against one of his pillows and inhaling in his scent, his hands reaching to grab the back of the pillow and press it even closer against his face.

No, he isn't trying to suffocate himself. He's just very stressed with his own brain. Why is he so worried about why Jinhyuk makes sure they're never alone? Why is he even thinking about it to being with?

Does he want to be alone with him?

Wooseok sits up so quickly he feels dizzy for a moment, the throw of his pillow towards the wall ending up hitting the door but thankfully doesn't make a loud noise, he doesn't want to get Yein's attention.

Him, Kim Wooseok, wanting to hang out alone with Lee Jinhyuk?

Why would he want such a thing? What would they even do together alone? No actually, why is he reacting like this? There is nothing weird about handing out with a friend one on one, even when they're an alpha, he has done it before with Minsoo and Sooil so why...

He lays back down, eyes staring up at his ceiling. Its natural to feel anxious about it right? Both Sooil and Minsoo were his friends before they presented as alphas and Jinhyuk is the first alpha he has befriended.

Nodding to himself Wooseok grabs his blanket and pulls it up to his chin. He'll pick up Jinhyuk from his class tomorrow and ask him to come along, surely no one would tag along and Jinhyuk would be unable to call a friend of his.

He's going to get over these weird anxious feelings.

As if the stars were on Wooseok's side, his last class ended early and he was waiting outside of Jinhyuk's building for the alpha to come out. 

He was trying to ignore the glances he kept receiving after all he could understand the curiosity. Wooseok alone outside the business department? Both Jungmo and Jinhyuk, his only friends studying in this department, would go meet him instead.

While unexpected Jinhyuk would not turn him down right? Asking beforehand would ruin Wooseok's plans and he couldn't just ask him out alone that would be too...weird.

"You're waiting for Jinhyukie right?" A soft voice asks behind him making him flinch and turn around, ending up facing a tall and handsome male not even a meter away from him.

A quick sniff makes Wooseok's body go tense and sensing his change in demeanor the alpha takes a step back, his eyes widening slightly and his hands moving up in sign he means no harm.

"Sorry sorry, forgot Jinhyukie has mentioned you're skittish around alphas," He says with a small smile on his thin lips. There's no mock in his voice or eyes but Wooseok still feels annoyed by the comment.

Jinhyuk has told his alpha friends that he's skittish around them?

There are other students walking past them, into and out the building and a few stop to look at them, muttering to each other and that's how Wooseok catches the alpha's name when a girls says 'Wah Seungwoo is really nice I hope Wooseok is not giving him a hard time'.

"I'm not skittish, I just don't trust your lot," Wooseok corrects refusing to look up at him even with their difference in height. Seungwoo must be almost as tall as Jinhyuk and he looks so _big_, with his strong build and broad shoulders.

"But you trust Jinhyuk?" The smile is gone and Wooseok knows the other is expecting an honest answer, while Wooseok may not personally trust him he still doesn't see a point in lying to him.

So he nods, quick and without second-guessing.

"Yeah I do trust him, I know not all alphas mean wrong but I'd rather keep my defenses up, you can understand as much, right?" Wooseok doesn't know why he's making such a question but the alpha still nods, the smile coming back on his handsome face and this time its more sincere.

Seungwoo's eyes leave Wooseok's and move upwards and behind the omega, "Well I'm glad to know that, it would bother me to know someone Jinhyuk treasures doesn't trust him," Wooseok's eyes widen and he stutters trying to ask him what he means with his choice of words but Seungwoo is already leaving walking past him, "Friends must trust each other after all."

Wooseok follows Seungwoo with his eyes and after he turns around he sees Jinhyuk walking towards him with Byungchan and Minkyu -another popular alpha in campus who Wooseok had only seen from afar and pictures on IG- by his sides giving Seungwoo a nod as a greeting with that bright smile in his face. 

He tilts his head to the side when he stands right in front of Wooseok, the confusion clear as day in his expressive eyes but there is also a tinge of worry in them. Wooseok exchanges greetings with Jinhyuk's friends as the older speaks up.

"Didn't expect to see you here, are you waiting for Jungmo? How long have you been waiting, you must be so cold your face is all red," His hands reach for the scarf around his neck as if to unwrap it and offer it to Wooseok but the omega shakes his head no hurrying to tell him he's really not that cold. 

"Also, I'm not waiting for Mogu," Jinhyuk emits an 'eh?' clearly more confused now, "I was actually waiting for you," He can see Byungchan and Minkyu glance at each other so he hurries on. "But if you're busy we can meet up another time!" Wooseok is already taking a step back without waiting for Jinhyuk to give him an answer, feeling too much like he made a fool out of himself he turns around and starts walking away ignoring Jinhyuk who calls his name.

He thought he had been ready to ask Jinhyuk to come with him even if the older was accompanied by his friends but when it came to it he felt too embarrassed. What would they think of him? Did he come off as a clingy friend? Also weird when taking into consideration he ended up storming off like this...

"Wooseok wait," A hand falls on his shoulders and stops him from walking further, Jinhyuk having caught up with him in a couple of strides with his long legs. Wooseok glances behind them and sees Byungchan's and Minkyu's backs walking in the other direction. "You didn't wait for my answer! I'm not busy so tell me what brought you here."

Jinhyuk is looking at him seriously, his eyes focused on Wooseok's as if searching for any signs of the reason that Wooseok had been waiting for him. With a heart that is beating _too_ fast Wooseok speaks up.

"Dongyeol told me about a coffee shop that has a Frozen thematic menu this month to celebrate the release of the movie and I thought you would like to come to check it out with me?" Wooseok knows his words came out almost jumbled together but thankfully Jinhyuk seems to have understood him.

The alpha quirks an eyebrow at him for a moment before smiling at him, he takes a step forward and signals Wooseok to do the same. "Show me the way oh ice prince!" 

Wooseok rolls his eyes but the smile that forms in his pink lips betrays any real annoyance. "Shut up, Frozen nerd." 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This story was meant to be tops 5 chapters yet here we are ^^;


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *peeks around a wall* Uh...Hello? Anyone still here?  
I'm sorry for taking so long to update AGAIN. I hope this lil extra long chapter makes up for it even if only a little?? ^^;

After the day Wooseok took Jinhyuk alone to visit the coffee shop Dongyeol had recommended, Jinhyuk started inviting him to hang out without bringing along other friends and in the times he did he would occasionally an alpha friend too -that is after Seungwoo invited himself to grab some ice cream with them and taking along his mate, Seungsik.- but still making sure to not push Wooseok too much out of his comfort zone and Jinhyuk's friends seemed to get the memo as they always kept their distance.

So why is it then that his plan to get over this _anxiousness_ failed? Even now as he sits next to the older in their English class, Wooseok finds himself _too_ aware of the distance between them and even worse he catches himself glancing in his direction more than once before quickly locking his eyes on the blackboard where Professor Haeyoon points to the most common grammatical errors the class had with their last assignment.

He spends the duration of the class barely paying any attention to Professor Haeyoon's perfect English pronunciation or the occasional attempt from a classmate, instead, he keeps on wondering how else can he try to get rid of this annoying self-awareness.

Class is over before Wooseok realizes it, the different noises that signal to its end, like Professor Haeyoon's heels clicking away and the chairs being pushed back as students stand up are what brings Wooseok back into reality.

"Hey, Wooseok," Jinhyuk starts, his eyes staring at him without moving to put his stuff away unlike Wooseok who robotically does. "Are you busy tomorrow?" He asks nonchalantly, warm eyes glancing down at Wooseok's hands just as they stop moving halfway through zipping his backpack.

Wooseok quickly recovers himself and stands up to slide his arms through the straps of his backpack. That is if you don't count how his heartbeat picks up and his eyes look everywhere but at the alpha who still stares at him without moving, his blue notebook still open in front of him. 

Tomorrow is a Saturday and while they've already meet up on weekends he still feels _weird_ about it for a reason he can't understand. "No, I have nothing planned other than spending the day in."

At that Jinhyuk grins, "Great! Could you help me buy a present for my sister?" Wooseok waits for Jinhyuk to put his things away, the older hurrying to do it and within seconds he is standing, his eyes looking hopefully at Wooseok who had not answered and just hummed. "She did really well in her classes so I want to get her a little something, a new planner and extra stationery maybe? You know more about that stuff."

Well, he did have a point. Jinhyuk had expressed his awe more than once at Wooseok's organized notes and the use of extra stationery he didn't possess nor know about and commented on his younger sister also liking to make _fancy_ study notes.

_"It's not _fancy_, just more organized" _  
_"Wooseok you're using a bunny-shaped paperclip."_

"Ok then, set a time and where and I'll be there." Jinhyuk's smile becomes brighter and definitely doesn't make Wooseok look away, his chest didn't suddenly feel tighter at all. You don't react like that to a friend.

  
"Where are you going?" Wooseok turns towards Yein who is laying on the couch, his round eyes locked on Wooseok instead of the chemistry book in his lap.

Yein is not even majoring in anything chemistry related. 

"Out."

Quircking an eyebrow at him he slowly nods in clear sarcasm. "I can see that Wooshin," Yein's eyes pointedly move down Wooseok's body and back up. "But you're obviously not going to the convenience store so I'm asking where you're off to."

Wooseok presses his lips into a thin lip. Did he end up overdressing or something? He may have taken longer than usual to pick up his clothes but it's not like its not casual wear, right? Light blue skinny jeans, red sneakers in his hands to put on on before he leaves, salmon cardigan with a white turtleneck shirt doesn't scream overdressed.

Maybe the light foundation and the touch of lip tint was too much. But he stayed up late last night reading Professor Yunho's 200 pages long document that needed to be studied before Monday's class and well he doesn't want to look like death when he's going further away than the convenience store a block away from their apartment so excuse him for wanting to look _decent_.

"Helping a friend to pick a gift for his sister." Is what he finally replies. Yein hums still not looking convinced but he lets it go wishing him good luck.

Wooseok is opening the door when Yein calls his name stopping him. He leans back to look at Yein who is sitting up to also look at him.

"Can you get me pads? I just ran out." Without thinking twice about it Wooseok nods his head, he can stop by on his way back. Yein gives him a smile and a thumbs up and that's it on it.

It is only when he's walking down the stairs of the apartment complex that Wooseok remembers something. Yein menstruates after him, not before him. He has been so focused on school and his new friendships that he didn't notice his period not happening.

Well, he has been stressed so he shouldn't worry too much about it, he still remembers that time he went 4 whole months without menstruating and nothing had been wrong. With that memory comes along the _long_ and _painful_ heat he went through a little over a week before his period finally came back.

He's taking his suppressants so he should be fine when his body hormones go back to normal. If he still doesn't menstruate the next month he will go to the doctor to get something to calm down the incoming heat.

It's easy to spot Jinhyuk on their meeting place, the tall alpha standing out like a sore thumb not only because of his height and the vibrant blue overcoat but the overly loud giggling of the two girls chatting with him.

Omegas, judging by the blatant exposure of their necks. Wooseok could bet if those girls had tails they would be wagging it.

He's not sure how to interrupt since he doesn't know those girls but thankfully he doesn't need to come up with anything, Jinhyuk's eyes locking with his across the short distance and with a charming smile he waves away the girls and makes up his way to Wooseok.

"Friends?" Wooseok asks, his eyes still focused on the girls that glared at him before walking away. Jinhyuk shakes his head, a small chuckle leaving him as he replies he doesn't know them.

"Hey, we match!" Jinhyuk suddenly says, taking out a hand from the pockets of his overcoat to point at said piece of clothing and then to Wooseok's salmon cardigan. "Blue and pink."

Wooseok gives the alpha a blank look. "It's not pink, its _salmon_." He says dryly. Jinhyuk rolls his eyes good naturally before correcting his statement but still insisting they match. "No wonder you asked my help if you can't tell salmon and pink apart," Wooseok says instead of paying attention to Jinhyuk's insistence of them _matching_.

Jinhyuk lets out a short laugh before nodding his head in the direction of the street known to have more than a couple of stationery stores.

Wooseok knew a couple of the stores, having purchased at them before. Some are a bit pricey but Jinhyuk insists on getting a set of 3D stickers because his sister _loved_ chicks so who cares if with that same amount of money he could get at least 10 packs of the simple small 2D ones of the same character.

The omega ends up purchasing a few things for himself and a cute white bear-shaped eraser for Yein because it reminds him of him. He's waiting for Jinhyuk to put away the most recent purchase -a cute set of pens that look like magical girl wands- when the older speaks up, his dark eyes focused on the inside of his small backpack making sure to not accidentaly bend the thin notebook Wooseok picked out.

"Do you want to stop by a coffee shop for a drink? Its been really cold today we could use a cup of hot chocolate, my treat." 

So that's how they ended up sitting across the other in a small but cozy coffee shop Jinhyuk remembered walking past, cups of hot chocolate warming up their hands and insides when they sip at it.

"We could start working on Friday's conversation," Jinhyuk says, eyes glancing the couple on the table next to theirs for what must be the fifth time now.

With a shrug, Wooseok agrees. Jinhyuk waves at him in a way that means for Wooseok to start. The omega hums for a moment, tilting his head to the side trying to think of something. Professor Haeyoon no longer asks them to stick to a topic, as long as they hold a conversation back and forth she accepts it.

"Describe your ideal date." Jinhyuk's head snaps towards him, his eyes wider than normal and the reaction makes Wooseok's face heat up. "You keep glancing at the couple next to us so..." He rushes to explain, willing his face to stop heating up before his cheeks redden and make this all the more embarrassing.

"Oh, sorry I..." Jinhyuk glances at the couple again but this time Wooseok follows his stare to the piece of chocolate cake with strawberries on top and whipped cream topped with chocolate chips on the side. "I was actually looking at the cake."

Wooseok knows the internal battle is lost as his face flushes but he refuses to back down, which would only make this more embarrassing where there's no need for it. Dongyeol loves talking about this and he's pretty sure he overheard Donghyun and Minhee talking about it at the cafeteria the other day and neither were embarrassed about it.

"Anyways, I think going to the beach during the night to stargaze would be a nice date," Wooseok says, taking his drink up to his lips and drinking a big gulp. Jinhyuk looks back at him and ponders for a moment before replying.

"Didn't take you for the type of such 'Romantic Dates' to be honest," Wooseok raises an eyebrow at that and Jinhyuk offers him a grin that is meant to reassure him he doesn't mean anything bad with his words.

"And what type of dates did you think I would like instead?" He asks, leaning back on his seat and staring right into Jinhyuk's eyes that keep jumping around.

"Uhm... order pizza or chicken, maybe a beer or two and a good movie on the TV?" At Wooseok's blank stare Jinhyuk starts rumbling. "Or you know, visiting a nice coffee place since you've mentioned liking those places, even if you're not a big fan of coffee itself, maybe a dog cafe? Or just a chill walk in the park so you can take pictures with your date, a nice picnic by the Han river?"

Wooseok tries to not think too much about where they are and he places his cup down on the table after his stomach starts feeling weird, the drink must have not been well received by his body.

"Those sound nice too but my ideal date is stargazing on the beach, you know listening to the waves and the stars shine more at the beach than at Han river,"

When Jinhyuk stays quiet for too long Wooseok repeats the question he had made before. The alpha mutters an apology and moves his cup to his lips drinking the rest of his drink down and placing the now empty cup on the table.

"Visit Tokyo Disneyland." He states, with a tone of voice that left no space for argument. It's not like Wooseok intended to argue about something like that.

Wooseok hums and slowly nods his head. It fits Jinhyuk, Disney fanboy to heart so Wooseok can't say he's surprised, he can perfectly imagine the alpha walking around Disneyland, mickey hat on his head, a frozen themed drink in one hand, a balloon tied to his wrist and taking his date's hand to pull them along, Jinhyuk's big smile blindingly bright.

Before Wooseok can ask about a more normal date because come on asking for a trip to Japan seems like a stretch, Jinhyuk stands up and puts on his overcoat.

"We can continue talking on the way to the next store, let's go."

After two more stores -in one of them Jinhyuk was happy to find those bunny-shaped paperclips Wooseok uses and bought a set for himself- Jinhyuk announced the shopping trip a success.

They're walking down the street back to their meeting spot, talking about what they predict will happen in the next chapter of the manwha they're reading thanks to a recommendation from Gyujin when a driver presses down on the honk of their car as they zoom down the small street.

"Wooseok!" Jinhyuk calls out, his hand wrapping around Wooseok's thin wrist and pulling him away from the car's path barely in time for it to not hit Wooseok, honking in a pattern universally known as a curse. "Oh, fuck you!" The alpha yells, his hold around Wooseok's wrist tightening but not painfully.

Wooseok's body has gone still, his eyes open wider than normal and his heart is beating erratically against his chest. He's not completely sure it's all on the fear of almost being run over.

Jinhyuk had not only pulled him away from the car's path but towards him, so they're chest to chest or more like Wooseok's face to Jinhyuk's chest.

His face is pressed against Jinhyuk's broad chest, his hands grabbing fistfuls of the blue overcoat at some point without him noticing. 

"Are you ok Wooseok?" Jinhyuk asks, voice concerned and has it always been this deep? or was it because of how low he had mumbled his words, no need to raise his voice with how close they were, maybe also because he didn't want to frighten Wooseok after what had just happened.

But Wooseok can't form a coherent thought much less reply.

Because all he can think is _alpha_ as his nose is right against the black sweater Jinhyuk is wearing underneath his overcoat. It's that scent that had calmed down Wooseok when he was having a nightmare before their English class, the same notes of wood that he couldn't find in Sooil's scent, that fresh citric scent Wooseok kept thinking about when peeling mandarins in the livingroom with Yein.

He takes in a deep breath, leaning forward and melting against the alpha that wraps his other arm around him, body going stiff. Wooseok wants to drown in this scent, he can feel his heartbeat coming down and nerves disappearing.

"Wooseok?"

Wooseok steps back, looking up at the worried alpha whose cheeks have become dusted in pink, Wooseok's own face reddening like tomatoes leaving Jinhyuk's blush to shame.

"I'm sorry! I'm ok don't worry and thank you! People really should know how to drive properly before getting a driver's license right? I personally don't know how to drive but I've never sat behind a steering wheel for a reason nor will I do it before signing up for lessons." Jinhyuk nods along to Wooseok's mumbling, thankfully not interrupting him and Wooseok takes this as his chance to run away, they're but a few meters away from the meeting spot where they were going to part ways anyways. 

"Hope your sister likes the stationery, tell me if she did on Monday? See ya!" Wooseok ignores the dumbfounded look in Jinhyuk's expressive face and waves at him before turning around and walking away not glancing back even once.

It's only until he's on the bus that he lets out a sigh, shoulders dropping and trying to make himself as small as possible in his seat, the beta next to him glancing at him with confusion but Wooseok ignores him.

He grabs the front of his sweater and pulls it up while leaning his head down, taking in a sniff. Wooseok internally curses when a shiver runs down his spine when he catches Jinhyuk's scent.

The way his heart flutters inside his chest doesn't help calm him down.


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Look at me not taking months to update! :'D  
Thank you Weishin Squad for the constant support TT^TT it means a lot to me!  
Bonus thanks to Bells for giving me an idea for this chapter!

Wooseok locks the bathroom door behind him and lets out a deep sigh as he leans against it. He can hear Yein and Minsoo talk over the show they're watching in the living room, Wooseok having left Yein's pads inside his bedroom by his request when he showed him the convenience store plastic bag.

He needs to get rid of the smell of _alpha_ before Minsoo or Yein notice it, it's faint but he's aware if he got close to them they would detect it.

Without glancing in the mirror by the sink, Wooseok takes off his clothes, holding the white turtleneck sweater for a few seconds too long, fighting off the sudden urge to press it against his face so he can fill his lungs with that scent once again.

He frowns, throwing the piece of clothing with maybe _too_ much force into the laundry basket. His hormones are definitely messing with him and he's not going to surrender to them. Wooseok will make sure to be the one doing laundry tomorrow, God forbid the ideas Yein would get if he caught a sniff of an alpha's scent in Wooseok's clothes.

That night, he has a nightmare, of cars suddenly speeding by left and right, no matter where he runs in the complete darkness he keeps barely evading them, his heart racing inside his chest and a cold sweat covering his forehead.

At some point in the dream he stops running, tired and fearful he cowers down to the ground, closes his eyes and begs for it to stop. The headlights and loud horns stop, the soothing sound of waves crashing against shore makes him open his eyes.

The starry sky above him sparkles in a hypnotizing way and he's unable to look away, even when a pair of arms wrap around his waist and he's pulled against a chest, a face nuzzling the back of his neck, a warm puff of breath making a shiver run down his spine.

He's on a beach so all he should be able to smell is the sea salt so why does it smell like he's by the woods too? And underneath that its the freshness of a particular fruit his dream self can't name.

Wooseok ends up late to his English class, he had lost track of time working on correcting an assignment of Professor Seokhoon's class that was due that day and the printer getting stuck with a page in the middle of printing the corrected assignment didn't help at all.

The only acknowledgment Wooseok gets from Professor Haeyoon as he hurries as silently as possible to his seat all the way across the front of the classroom is the shake of her head without stopping her explanation of the proper order of adjectives when describing something, her bob cut swaying with the movement of her head.

He sends a glare to the few classmates who dare to snigger and they're quick to look away, with the exception of Sejin who even winks at him.

Jinhyuk offers him a small smile and a tilt of his head as a greeting that Wooseok is quick to reciprocate. Professor Haeyoon asks them to work on the corresponding page on their books and moves to sit at her desk but not before turning her attention to Wooseok.

"If you don't understand something you can ask your partners for help first and in case you need more help then feel free to ask me." She says, clearly directing her words at him without calling him out, an amicable smile in her cherry red lips.

The omega feels heat crawl up his face in embarrassment and he looks away from those sparkly eyes belonging to his teacher, finding himself locking gazes with dark orbs that make him freeze for a moment.

He recovers quickly, breaking the eye contact as he moves to pull out his book and pencil case. Without him asking, Jinhyuk tells him the page number and turns to his own book to start working on it.

That's when Wooseok notices the pencil the alpha is using or better put the topper on it, a blue star that Wooseok remembers from the small set of star-shaped toppers Jinhyuk bought on the last stationery store they went into.

"So did your sister like them?" Wooseok asks, eyes focused on the whiteboard reading the example Professor Haeyoon had used.

Jinhyuk coughs, "Uh, what?"

The omega glances at Jinhyuk who keeps his eyes on his book.

"The stationery, did she like them? Or she didn't and gave them back to you?" He asks, pointing at Jinhyuk's pencil. The older 'oohs' and flashes him a smile, the kind of smile that reveals his sharp canines.

Wooseok hurriedly looks away.

"She loved it and asked me who helped me pick them up," Jinhyuk chuckles shaking his head, pencil moving on top of the page as he writes. "Couldn't have fooled her, she says 'Thank you'."

The omega doesn't bother hiding the way his lips curve upwards. "I'm glad she liked them."

They don't exchange any more words for the rest of the class. Once Professor Haeyoon announces the end of the class, five minutes early, as usual, Wooseok starts putting his things away, chewing on his lower lip trying to think of a conversation topic to have with Jinhyuk on their way out the building.

He needs to keep away any mention of the _weird_ way their last meeting ended.

But it seems like he won't need to think of anything, as Jinhyuk quickly puts his stuff away into his backpack and stands up. "Sorry Wooseok, I gotta rush somewhere, see you tomorrow!" Before Wooseok could reply, the alpha turns around and speeds away.

While Wooseok is confused and a bit curious about what reason Jinhyuk would need to rush he shrugs it off. He's actually relieved he was able to escape the possible awkwardness.

"I think Jinhyuk is avoiding me."

Minhee and Jungmo stop their wrestling over the TV control, snapping their heads in his direction from where their position on the ground in front of the long couch where Wooseok lays, his gaze focused on the ceiling.

Yein who sits on the armchair looks up from his phone, tilting his head to the side and raises an eyebrow at him. "He's ghosting you?" He asks, pointing to Wooseok's phone on top of the coffee table.

Wooseok shakes his head. "No, we text normally but..." He stops to mull over his words, he doesn't want to come off as clingy or something and he doesn't think he's being clingy, it's just the sudden distance leaves him confused. "He runs off as soon as English is over and has not asked me to hang out all week."

Yes, it is barely Saturday afternoon but Wooseok has gotten used without noticing to go somewhere with Jinhyuk at least once every week, be it playing videogames or watching a movie at Gyujin's dorm building, eating at a restaurant near campus or across each other in a coffee place also near campus.

Minhee opens his lips but closes them before he can say whatever he was about to. Wooseok turns to look at him reading in his expression how he is holding back, with a sigh he signals him to go on.

"Does that bother you?" Minhee asks, voice slow in a way that makes Wooseok reach towards him with the intention to slap the back of his head but the younger omega moves quick enough to dodge him. "I mean you used to be so against befriending alphas before so-"

"I was not against it, just none earned my trust before him," Wooseok interrupts, after all its not like he's suddenly going around talking to random alphas.

He still glares them away, still has his defenses up when an alpha tries to get too close. The only difference is Minsoo and Sooil are not the only alpha friends he has.

"Maybe he's just busy? Finals are coming up he must be studying." Jungmo pipes up, offering Wooseok one of those comforting smiles that the omega is unable to not give back.

Yein stands up and moves to sit by Wooseok's head, one of his hands falling on top of Wooseok's head to play with his hair. "Why don't you ask him to hang out for a change? From what I've heard from Gyujin and Dongyeol he seems like the type that may think he was pushing you too hard if only he initiated the outings."

Wooseok lets out a sigh. Trust Yein to be the voice of reason.

"Good, be a grown-up Wooshin you're too old to angst over your crush not paying attention to you."

Before Wooseok can _physically_ retaliate, Yein has jumped away and giggled on his way into the kitchen. Trust Yein to also be a little shit.

Wooseok is repeating inside his head what he's going to tell Jinhyuk as soon as Professor Haeyoon walks away from her desk after announcing the end of the class.

There's no valid reason for his heart so be beating so fast inside his chest or for feel so nervous about this but he guesses he fears rejection.

Jinhyuk was..._special_ to him, he was his first alpha friend other than the two who he was already friends with before they presented. He didn't want to lose his friendship especially if Jinhyuk has been distancing himself because of what had _happened_ that Saturday.

"That's it for today class, see you all tomorrow!" Profesor Haeyoon's voice interrupts Wooseok's train of thought and just like the week before, Jinhyuk quickly puts his stuff away and stands up.

The difference this time is that Wooseok speaks up before the alpha can.

"Hey, Jinhyuk!" He internally cringes at how high his voice had gone but keeps talking. "There is a 2x1 promotion in all ramens at a snack bar near my apartment, wanna go after class?"

Jinhyuk's eyes widen the slightest amount if Wooseok were not studying his reaction so carefully he could have missed it. The alpha's lips curve into a small smile, one that makes Wooseok's stomach drop.

An apologetic smile.

"Sorry Wooseok, I can't." The alpha does sound apologetic so Wooseok shakes his head, waving a hand at him and telling him to not worry about it. He honestly doesn't expect Jinhyuk to keep talking but he does. "I know we need to start working on Friday's conversation but we can do it via text right?"

Wooseok frowns at the alpha, feeling _offended_ the older seems to think he suggested to spend time together only for their assignment. Before he can regret it, he stands up and takes a step closer, Jinhyuk's eyes glancing down his face but Wooseok doesn't stop to consider that.

"I _want_ to hang out with you Jinhyuk, not only because of this class," He can feel the heat crawl up his face but he ignores it, keeping his eyes focused on Jinhyuk's that evade his. "don't you also want that?" Gosh, how embarrassing can he get?

Jinhyuk shifts from foot to foot and Wooseok's heart is protesting loudly against his ribs. What must be mere seconds feel like minutes and Wooseok's shame finally catches up to him.

"Whatever, that was pretty conceited from me, pick a topic and we can do it through texts then." Wooseok says, turning around and reaching to pull his backpack towards him so he can put away his things or so he tries before Jinhyuk turns him back around to face him, Wooseok finding himself too aware of Jinhyuk's hand in his arm.

"Sorry! I just didn't know how to reply and uh..." He glances to the side and presses his lips into a thin line, red dusting his cheekbones, rubbing the back of his beck with his other hand. "I do want to hang out with you Wooseok but I've been tutoring an underclassman while also juggling with my own studies so I've been pretty busy."

This would be an ideal moment for ninjas to crash into the classroom by the windows next to them and assassinate him. Wooseok hopes it happened.

'You're so dramatic' Whats sounds like Yein says inside his mind.

Jinhyuk lets go of him and Wooseok again turns around to put his stuff away and also to hide his reddening face from Jinhyuk. "Raincheck?" He mutters before he turns around.

The alpha positively glows. "Sure! It'll be my treat! I'll text you later ok? Bye-bye!" Jinhyuk even adds in a wave and turns around to leave once Wooseok bids him goodbye.

He can ignore the look Sejin gives him when he walks past him and his partner. What he can't ignore is the way his heart feels lighter and how he finds himself looking forward to the exam period to be over.


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I joked about taking a hiatus, it was just a joke TT^TT 
> 
> I'm sorry for taking so long to update!! And I wanted to write an extra long chapter but I think the end of this one is a good note to end it and the next parts deserve their own chapter ^^ we are reaching the end of this!!
> 
> Thank you all for waiting!! And for supporting me even when I take so long orz

"I'm hungry, wanna stop to eat something?" Jinhyuk asks, eyes glancing around them on the busy narrow street, stopping to consider the food stalls and small stores.

They had dinner around an hour ago, that's not enough for someone normal to get hungry again. It's not like they had a small bowl of ramen each, they've ordered seconds and the noodles were pretty thick.

"Ok but you're paying," Jinhyuk snaps his head towards him to glare at him, no real bite in his dark eyes. With his hands still in the pockets of his black jeans, Jinhyuk leads the way to a bungeoppang stall. 

The older pays for 3 and hands one to Wooseok, they move to lean against the closest building wall, he's holding onto the extra one and starts eating his, his cheeks filling like a squirrel's and his eyes sparkling as he enjoys the food.

Still, Wooseok can't find it himself to feel surprised at Jinhyuk's appetite. "Is it an alpha thing?" He asks as Jinhyuk finishes his bungeoppang while Wooseok has half of his left. "Sooil, Minsoo and you seem to have bottomless stomachs,"

Jinhyuk tilts his head to the side, raising an eyebrow at him and gives him an awkward smile. "I thought you didn't like to assign stuff to genders?" He asks, his tone careful, clearly not wanting to upset Wooseok.

The red haired boy shrugs. "I'm against gender roles but we can't deny there are traits linked to our gender though," He pops the last bite of his bungeoppang into his mouth, eyes still locked with the alpha's. "Especially physical traits, like your longer canines," Jinhyuk raises a hand to his mouth as if feeling conscious of them. "And some we can't see, like appetite,"

"I never stopped to think of my appetite as an alpha thing..." Jinhyuk says, glancing up to the dark sky as if he would find the answer there. He turns back to Wooseok, moving the extra bungeoppang to Wooseok's lips and pointing with his chin for him to go on. The younger ignores the still present voice inside his mind that tells him to not show any weakness to an alpha and takes a bite of the offered treat. 

That voice keeps getting easier and easier to ignore when around Jinhyuk.

"Guess its easier for an omega to know the reason behind their appetite," Jinhyuk gives him a questioning look, taking a bite on the opposite side where Wooseok's is. "During ovulation, our hormones get all crazy and it affects our appetite, making us get hungrier or less." The blue haired male's eyes widen slightly and pink dust his cheeks, he looks away breaking their eye contact.

Wooseok can't help but chuckle at his friend's flustered reaction, the desire to press his revealed buttons too strong to ignore. He takes a step closer, a hum that comes from deep in his throat like a purr earning Jinhyuk's attention.

"What? Didn't your past omega partners get hungrier during their heats?" The reaction is immediate, Jinhyuk's pink cheeks turning feverish red and the color crawling up to his ears.

"I've never even dated an omega before!" He exclaims, voice a bit louder than before and gone a few notes higher earning a few glances from people walking past them but Jinhyuk doesn't seem to notice them, his eyes locked with Wooseok's. "I've actually never dated someone,"

Wooseok gives the other male a blank stare something that seems to frustrate the older since he whines he's being serious, even going as far as to stomp his feet once like a toddler.

"Bullshit, you're so popular, ain't no way you've never dated someone and especially not an omega," Jinhyuk huffs, taking another bite of the almost forgotten bungeoppang before offering Wooseok more but the younger shakes his head.

"You're pretty popular yourself so do you have a long history of past partners?" Wooseok frowns, the look in his eyes hardening and his stomach dropping.

"I'm not popular in the way you are, Jinhyuk, you're a sought after alpha and I'm an 'unruly' omega who needs to be put in their place," He says, keeping his eyes locked with Jinhyuk for a beat before looking away. Wooseok had been wary and then grateful of Jinhyuk not mentioning Wooseok's reputation before but pretending it doesn't exist feels like he's mocking him.

"Now _ that _is bullshit," Wooseok flinches at the harsh tone, body growing tense before he can will away the natural reaction his body has at hearing such a tone from an alpha, the instinct to bow his head in complete submission. "Just because you're an omega doesn't mean you should let alphas and betas treat you whatever way they want,"

The red haired male looks up, eyes widening when he comes face to face with Jinhyuk with an expression he had never seen on him before. His gentle eyes are hard, a scowl on his handsome face, lips pushed back revealing his sharp canines.

A shiver runs down Wooseok's body, his head tilting up about to unknowingly offer his neck.

Then Jinhyuk drops the bungeoppang, reaching to cup Wooseok's face and forcing him to keep his head straight, preventing him from committing such a submissive gesture.

"You're a strong omega who won't let a beta or alpha play with him as they want and I admire you for that just like many others do too," Jinhyuk's eyes soften, the scowl slowly disappearing. "You're actually very kind and gentle even if you can get bratty or play rough sometimes," His canines are revealed again but this time because of his smile. "Also you're so _ beautiful _so of course you're desired, whoever cared about your 'reputation' is not worth your time, to be honest."

Jinhyuk's thumbs stroke Wooseok's cheeks absentmindedly, so careful and tender that the omega longs to lean into his touch. His heart is beating a mile a minute inside his chest, something moving in his stomach that makes him want to squirm.

That...that sounded a lot like a confession.

Wooseok parts his lips, tongue peeking out to swipe across them when he feels how dry they are, he's trying to find the words but for what he doesn't know.

Nor does he get to find out.

"Oh, Jinhyuk!" A voice calls not far away from them. Jinhyuk lets go of Wooseok's face so quickly that it may have looked like he had gotten burned. "And Wooseok!" 

They turn to the right finding the owner of the voice, Wooseok's eyes locking with the boy who walks with him. 

"Yunseong, hi!" Jinhyuk raises his hand to wave at the boy who smiles at them as he walks closer, his hand still interlocked with Donghyun's. Wooseok raises an eyebrow at his friend, the younger offering him a bashful smile.

Wooseok turns his attention to Yunseong, the beta that Minhee had talked about. If he's friends with Jinhyuk though and Donghyun was giving him a chance then Wooseok guesses he can be less wary of him.

Yunseong glances at Wooseok, the omega subtly straightening his back and looking right back at him but the beta just turns his attention back to Jinhyuk, tilting his head to the side as his smile turns lopsided.

"Are you two on a date?" He asks, eyes twinkling with unbidden curiosity and his voice light. Donghyun's eyes widen next to him and he pulls on his hand, calling his name in a scolding manner through his gritted teeth, warm eyes jumping between Wooseok and Jinhyuk.

Wooseok feels as if someone had pulled a rug underneath him, unstable on his feet. The weird feeling in his stomach from minutes ago comes back full force making him fear he'll puke from it. He opens his mouth, about to question how could the beta have come to such a conclusion.

"What? No!" Jinhyuk lets out a short laugh, shaking his head at Yunseong and waving his right hand at him. "We are just hanging out, no date to see here," The older's eyes pointedly look at Yunseong's and Donghyun's interlocked fingers. "I mean, no between us but you two on the other hand," He says, quirking an eyebrow at the younger males who turn to each other and share a smile, pink blooming in their cheeks.

Wooseok is left staring at his friend, a mix of emotions he can't comprehend swirling inside of him. What Jinhyuk said is the truth, they are _not_ in a date so Wooseok should just have nodded along to his words, join on the teasing of Yunseong and Donghyun.

But instead, he finds himself wanting to just go home.

The door slams shut behind him and he can hear Yein's yelp inside the kitchen followed by the sound of something falling onto the floor. After taking off his shoes he walks inside the kitchen, taking in the sight of Dongyeol cleaning up a mess of batter from the counter while Yein is busy taking out ingredients from the fridge.

Wooseok takes his phone out of his jean's pocket to verify that yes, its 10 pm and too late for anyone to be baking, but before he can question his friends, Yein speaks up.

"What got your panties in a twist now? Did your little date with mister perfect alpha not go well?" Yein has been teasing Wooseok about Jinhyuk being his 'crush' since Wooseok got worried about Jinhyuk evading him.

Usually, Wooseok would react to his joke, telling him to shut up or flipping him off but now the joke falls flat and this earns both omega's attention.

A frow forms in the younger's face as he stares at Wooseok. "Did something happen?" He asks, the worry clear in his voice and gentle eyes. Wooseok bites on his lower lip, shifting his weight from one foot to another as he considers Dongyeol's question.

"Not really?" When his answer proves to not be enough based on the fact his friends keep on staring at him, Wooseok takes in a deep breath. He raises a hand to scratch his head making a mess of his red hair.

Yein, knowing Wooseok doesn't want to feel their eyes on him at the moment, starts working on remaking the batter. "If you want to talk we will listen to you but if you don't want that, you can help us bake, Dongyeol found a recipe for Oreos and wants to try them out,"

While the idea of baking so late into the night had never attracted him before even when it's not the first time this happens, he finds himself nodding his head.

"I'll go change and help you."

"Dongyeol sends these," Wooseok announces once he stands in front of Jinhyuk's seat. He gently places down the paper bag he had been carrying, not wanting to risk the cookies breaking if he dropped it.

The alpha pockets his phone and reaches for the bag, opening it to see what's inside and a smile growing in his face. "Did you bake these?" He asks, taking one cookie out and biting into it, his eyes lighting up before he puts the rest of the cookie into his mouth.

"Yein, Dongyeol and I did, we stayed up baking last night," Jinhyuk quirks an eyebrow confused but Wooseok just shakes his head. "Don't ask, they sometimes do that and I felt like joining," He doesn't need to know he felt like it because he wanted a distraction from his inner turmoil.

The omega moves to sit down on his seat next to the blue haired alpha, letting himself drop onto his seat and placing his arms on the desk to lay his head on top of them. He hears Jinhyuk chuckle next to him.

"Wooseokie stayed up so he's sleepy now?" Wooseok groans at the teasing, refusing to face the alpha. Jinhyuk barks out a laugh, his hand falling on Wooseok's head and ruffling his hair, Wooseok moves so he can slap his hand away.

"Profesor Haeyoon emailed us she'll be late, wake me up when if she arrives or when we can leave," He mumbles as he gets comfortable again. The professors have a tolerance of 15 minutes to get to the classroom and if they don't then the class is suspended.

He's falling asleep when he feels Jinhyuk place his coat over him, covering him in complete darkness. "Ok then, sleep well." He whispers, voice as soothing as the scent that now fills his nose, easing out the tension he didn't realize was on his back and shoulders.

Wooseok slowly wakes up, keeping his eyes closed for a couple of seconds, noticing the silence in the room. He blinks his eyes open as he sits up, stretching his limbs forward and Jinhyuk's coat sliding down his head until it just rests on his shoulders.

His eyes quickly fall on the alpha who is sleeping next to him, blue hair vibrant underneath the sunlight that comes in from the window next to them.

The omega stares silently at Jinhyuk's peaceful expression, takes in how his short eyelashes curl upwards, the slight part between his thin lips that look plumper than he thought under closer inspection. He has to hold back from reaching to trace with his finger the bridge of his nose.

No one else is at the classroom and a quick glance at the clock that hangs on the wall behind the professor's desk tells him everyone must have left around 20 minutes ago.

Wooseok reaches to grab Jinhyuk's shoulder and gently shakes him, calling his name in a hushed whisper but the older doesn't react. He lets out a sigh before repeating his name in a louder voice, enough for Jinhyuk to be startled awake.

The alpha springs up, turning around confused for a few moments before his gaze falls on Wooseok, the cogs inside his brain turning until he realizes what is going on. "Sorry, didn't mean to fall asleep,"

The redhead waves his friend's apology off. "You must still be tired from midterms, that's fine, wanna go to the vending machine for something to drink?" His throat feels dry after having napped and Jinhyuk's must be too since he nods his head without hesitation.

Wooseok stands up and hands Jinhyuk back his coat, looking away as he thanks him for lending it to him again. Like before, Wooseok can still smell the alpha's scent on his own clothes, the stronger alpha's scent having impregnated into it.

He stops by a convenience store near his apartment on his way back home after class, knowing that Yein most probably forgot to buy more milk. 

Wooseok is standing in the snacks aisle, holding the milk with one hand, and picking a snack with the other before putting it back in its place. He's not sure what he feels like having, just that he wants to eat something while working on his assignments later tonight.

The omega is so focused on trying to pick something that he doesn't notice the alpha that stops next to him until the stranger makes a noise with his throat to gain his attention.

"Can I help you?" Wooseok asks with a blank voice and face, even if he now has more alpha friends he's not friendly to all the ones he comes across. Better be safe than sorry.

The alpha thought doesn't show a negative reaction to Wooseok's attitude, instead, he offers him a small smile, his eyes sparkling like a child's. "Hey, sorry if this comes off as creepy but you're _really_ cute and I was wondering if you had time right now, to hang out with me for a bit? Pick whatever you want and we can sit down outside,"

Wooseok glances up and down the alpha's body. He's wearing a high school uniform, his name badge still in his chest - Lee Junseo - and the dimples in his cheeks accompanied by the way his eyes twinkle make him look inoffensive.

He's actually really cute, with pink blushing cheeks, dark black hair neatly brushed, an earring in his left ear, and a birthmark next to his right eye.

But Wooseok is not interested, even if the advance from this alpha not feeling as unwelcome because of the much different approach, he's not asserting any dominance like the vast majority does.

Also, Wooseok doesn't want to have anything with a minor.

"I'm not a minor, by the way, I lost a year because I had to move but I'm graduating this year!" Junseo says as if reading Wooseok's mind. The omega is trying to think how he can _gently_ turn the kid down, he doesn't want him to get the idea his way to ask him out was wrong, when the boy's nose twitches, then his eyes widen and his face reddens. "Oh you have someone, I'm so sorry! Have a good night!" He bows down before walking past him.

Wooseok stands there in shock for a few seconds before it hits him. He grabs the front of his sweater and pulls it up to his nose even when he doesn't really have to, he can smell Jinhyuk's scent still on him.

The boy must have mistaken Jinhyuk's scent on him as the alpha scent marking him, even when it's not as strong as it should be if that were the case, but it could be interpreted as a scent mark that is fading.

The omega takes the closes snack to him and walks to the counter to pay for it and the milk. 

He can't find it in himself to be upset at the boy for thinking he's already in a relationship, even when he's fully aware if this had happened a couple of months ago he would have fumed about it.


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello~! I didn't take an extra long time to update this time around! :'D  
And that is because this update is an early bday gift for the lovely Miss Campanita~!! I love you lots and lots Bells~!! I'm so happy to have you in my life *hugs* I really hope you enjoy this lil detail from me!
> 
> Everyone else, I hope you enjoy this update too!!

"Hey!" Sooil whines, hand reaching for Wooseok but the omega has stepped away from his reach, making his way back next to Yein and smirking as he peels the boiled egg he just hit the alpha's head with.

"You know, I didn't give that to you so you could abuse my boyfriend with it," Minsoo says but the smile in his lips betrays any act of annoyance.

"It's just an egg, Sooil isn't gonna die from that," Yein shrugs before taking a bite from his hot bar, offering the now pouty Sooil a bite. The eldest still sends Wooseok a half-hearted glare before accepting Yein's offering.

The four of them are making their way back from the convenience store closest to campus, Sooil and Wooseok actually skipping class at the moment but Yein and Minsoo only rolled their eyes at them when they showed up.

In Wooseok's defense, professor Bora said the day before that she would play them a movie for the whole class and the movie had actually very little relation to the class so he thinks its fine for him to skip it altogether.

"So how much has your English improved?" Minsoo suddenly asks, warm eyes looking at Wooseok. The omega tilts his head to the side, raising his legs higher than necessary as he walks, he's barely aware of how childish he must look.

"_A decent amount_," He mumbles, feeling self-aware of his pronunciation but not as much as before, he must accept that professor Haeyoon's idea of having them talk weekly in front of the class did wonder.

"_Woah!_" Sooil claps, the sound catching both Yein and Wooseok off guard and making them flinch but Minsoo just turns to give a sappy smile to his boyfriend. "And your relationship with Jinhyuk?"

Wooseok's eyes widen and he snaps his head towards his friends, the three of them looking at him with full attention. The omega raises his shoulders in a shrug but ends up keeping them up, reaching with one hand to pull his scarf to cover the lower side of his face and protect him from the icy winds.

"We are friends, I've met other _nice_ alphas because of him too," Minsoo hums, leaning slightly forward so he can meet Wooseok's eyes, a silent sign for him to continue talking. "So I guess we are doing ok,"

They stop at a corner and wait for the traffic light to turn red so they can cross. "He has not been rude or anything, right?" Sooil asks, quirking an eyebrow but Wooseok quickly shakes his head no. "Ok, just making sure,"

"The kids and Changhyun are friends with him, of course he's nice," Yein says, the rest of them knowing he refers to Gyujin, Dongyeol, and Hwanhee. "Also Jinwook told me he's a great kid, went to the same high school I believe,"

Wooseok's eyes widen, jaw going slack behind his scarf but the surprise in his eyes is enough for Yein to quickly look away, clearly not wanting to elaborate on what he said.

But as the light turns red and they start crossing, Wooseok reaches to grab Yein's hand and pulls on it to earn his attention, the other omega grumbling a complaint and taking the last bite from his hot bar, eyes looking for a trashcan to throw away the wooden stick.

"Why do you know that?" Wooseok asks, tone accusatory and his hold on Yein's hand squeezing. "Why were you talking about Jinhyuk with Jinwook?"

Jinwook is another friend of theirs, a kind omega and the same age as Sooil, they meet while in middle school because he was in the music club with Yein, he had moved to Japan at the beginning of the year after scoring a scholarship.

"He noticed something was up when you got assigned as a pair with Jinhyuk, how he was able to do that going only by your texts I have no idea," They walk past a trashcan and Yein gets rid of the oily wooden stick, Sooil also throwing away the plastic wrap from the samgak kimbap he had inhaled after stepping out the convenience store. "So I told him what happened and he reassured me you would be ok,"

Wooseok lets go of his friend, trying to not think too much about how his heart had beaten quicker at the idea of Yein talking with Jinwook about him and Jinhyuk behind his back.

The campus is soon on sight and Wooseok's eyes catch a familiar bright blue coat but before he can say anything about it, Minsoo claps his hands once, the sound muffled because of the gloves he's wearing.

"When Jinwook visits for winter break we should all get together, the 10 of us," The alpha declares, tone as bright as the soft smile that forms on his lips. "There are too many friends in common amongst us to not become  _ all  _ friends, don't you agree?"

"Good idea babe, that sounds great!" Sooil wraps his arm around Minsoo's waist and pulls him to his side, the younger stumbling a bit on his steps and playfully punching his boyfriend's chest in retaliation. 

"Talk about the devil," Yein sings, twinkling eyes locked on Jinhyuk and Gyujin who are now approaching. When they're close enough, Sooil raises the arm that is not wrapped around Minsoo to wave at them, deep voice booming as he greets them.

The six of them come to a stop when their paths cross, Wooseok nodding as a greeting, Jinhyuk's eyes locking with his as he gives him that sunny smile of him. "Don't you have class?" The blue-haired male asks, tone curious.

The beta quirks one of his thick eyebrows at his friend, his eyes jumping between Wooseok and Jinhyuk before stopping on his friend. "Stalker much?" He asks, voice deadpan.

Wooseok's friends laugh but the omega feels his cheeks warm up behind his scarf. Jinhyuk's eyes widen, the alpha sputtering to prove his innocence while reaching to shove his friend back. "Don't you share majors with Sejin? He texted me he was in class watching a movie,"

The redhaired boy nods, sending a quick glare at his friends who do a bad job of hiding their still ongoing laughs. "Exactly," Is all he says, hoping that's enough explanation why he is not in class.

Jinhyuk's and Gyujin's eyes sparkle with recognition when they process what he means, Gyujin even giving him a solemn nod that makes Wooseok chuckle.

Minsoo wastes no more time in telling Jinhyuk and Gyujin about his _brilliant_ idea, the two guys smiling and nodding their heads, replying that sounds great and will look forward to it. 

"We can set more exact plans later, we still have to finish this semester," Sooil says, earning a groan from Gyujin and a sigh from Yein but Sooil just moves to give them a pat on their back.

"Ok, see you around then," Jinhyuk raises his hand to wave at them, taking eyes locking with Wooseok's as he steps back. "See you at English," He grins, Wooseok nodding his head and watching as Jinhyuk grabs Gyujin's arm to pull him along on their way out of campus.

Wooseok and his friend continue on their way back inside campus until they have to part ways for their buildings, Minsoo making Sooil promise to him that he won't skip any more classes for at least a week and Yein and he make fake disgusted faces at Sooil wrapping his arms around his boyfriend and burying his face in his neck as he assures him he'll be _good_.

"Mini is too focused on Donghyun dating that beta to notice my advances," Jungmo whines, nose cold against Wooseok's neck and making him shiver. The omega moves a hand to pat his friend's knee under the table. "Donghyun is happy with Yunseong, can't Mini notice I'm trying to make him happy too?"

The beta takes a deep breath of Wooseok's scent, the sweet omega scent helping him calm down so the older doesn't ask him to move away.

They're at the library that is pretty abandoned since there's no exam period looming over their heads so Wooseok doesn't see any issues with allowing his friend to be extra clingy.

After all, Jungmo is pretty upset about still being in the friendzone even after finally trying to show Minhee he wants out of it. The beta has been showering the omega in more compliments than usual, lets himself be caught staring and even surprising him with nice gestures like bringing him his favorite snacks -he got him a heart shaped chocolate for God's sake- and buying him random little things like that Kuromi plush keychain that Minhee now wears on his backpack.

"Want me to have a talk with him?" Wooseok offers, eyes barely paying attention to the notes Sejin lent him after English for the class he skipped the day before.

Jungmo shakes his head against his neck, lips tickling Wooseok as he mumbles something along the lines of that not being fair. When Wooseok asks him to elaborate the younger just sighs.

The redhead looks away from the notes towards his friend as the beta leans away to face him, a pout on his plump lips. "I'll get him to really notice me, maybe he'll do once he gets over Donghyun's relationship, I can still wait I just feel like complaining about it," 

Wooseok hums and nods his head, he can understand Jungmo having a bad day and wanting to have a shoulder to lean on or in this case, a neck to nuzzle. Jungmo leans back into his space and stops talking, instead slowly relaxing until Wooseok starts thinking the younger fell asleep.

It seems the omega will be able to focus on transcribing the notes when he gets interrupted once again but this time not by the beta sitting at his side but by a girl who stops next to him.

He looks up at her, confused as to what she could want with them. It takes him a couple moments to put a name to her face, the innocence in her eyes, and overall resemblance to a bunny finally clicking in.

"Oh hi, Wonyoung," The girl offers him a bright smile and nods as a greeting, hugging her purple binder to her chest. "Can I help you?" He asks, curious as to why she's standing there, surely she must have a reason.

Jang Wonyoung is a junior of his and the only one that Wooseok had ever tutored, a bright and cute omega, her height not fitting much with her second gender but she was not bothered by it, in fact, she tended to wear clothes that accentuated her tall frame.

"Sorry for interrupting," She glances at Jungmo who still has his face against Wooseok's neck. "But I heard a rumor and wanted to give you a heads up, in case someone tried to use it to bother you,"

It wouldn't be the first time something like this happens to him, a friend or acquaintance -sometimes even people he didn't know the names of- approaching to warn him about what people were whispering about him now.

Alphas boasting about dominating him was the usual, sometimes a beta would try it too and once there had been an occasion where they spread around a rumor of Wooseok being actually abusive of other omegas, something about him being angry about not being an alpha instead.

Wonyoung reaches to pull her hair back and leans down to whisper to him. "People are saying you're dating Jinhyuk," Wooseok's heart skips a beat, his eyes widening as the girl continues speaking. "Someone saw you napping at the English classroom and Jinhyuk was just looking at you, also that an alpha approached you but you smelled of Jinhyuk so he backed off,"

The girl leans back, offers him a small smile and bows before waving him goodbye as if she had not just unleashed a mix of conflicting emotions inside of him.

People were gossiping he and Jinhyuk are dating? Not that Jinhyuk _'bend him over'_ but that they are a _thing?_ Jinhyuk had been staring at him while he slept the other day? For how long? Who was the one to see that and mention it to anyone else to being with?

"You liked hearing that."

Wooseok flinches, a shiver running down his spine as his friend moves back, his warm eyes staring right into Wooseok's, searching for something in his eyes and Wooseok by instinct looks away.

But the beta gently grabs his chin and turns him back towards him. The smile that grows in Jungmo's lips is small and subtle, a slight curl to the corner of his lips that if they were not this close, Wooseok wouldn't have noticed.

"You actually like the idea of people thinking you two are dating," There's wonder in the beta's voice as if he couldn't quite believe what he's saying.

Wooseok slaps his friend's hand away, closing his binder and reaching to pocket the single pen he grabbed from his backpack. "I don't know what you're talking about," He mumbles, grabbing his stuff and standing up, the noise of the chair being pushed back loud in the otherwise silent room.

"Hey, Seok," Jungmo calls but the omega ignores him, walking away from him. He barely makes it a couple of tables away before the beta grabs his arms and pulls him back. "Look at me,"

He doesn't want to, Wooseok really doesn't want to look at his friend right now, he doesn't want to look at anyone, he wants to go back home and curl up on his nest, grab that novel Yein lent him and he still needs to finish, he desperately wants to not think about why his heart is racing so much, why his blood is rushing so loudly against his ears.

But Jungmo doesn't give him much of an option, he makes him turn around and cups his face tilting it up so they're face to face, Wooseok able to feel how warm his cheeks are against the cool palms of his friend.

Something in his expression must have shown Jungmo how Wooseok is internally panicking because the beta lets him go, hand moving to grasp his hand and pulling him to follow him out of the library, grabbing their bags at the entrance and then making their way out of campus.

His friend accompanies him all the way to his apartment, giving him a tight hug at his door before he turns around and leaves. Once Wooseok opens the door he can listen to his roommate in the living room and from the sound of it, he's alone and watching the TV.

Wooseok can't detect the signals in his scent like Yein can so when his friend snaps his head towards him, doe eyes wide open and concerned, he stops in his tracks surprised.

Yein doesn't ask questions, he stands up and walks towards him, wrapping his arms around him and holding him close, allowing Wooseok to nuzzle his neck and breath in that sweet vanilla scent.

But even Yein's scent can't calm him down, at least not much. His hands grab fistfuls of his friend's sweater and that only makes the other omega worry more.

"Something happened, right?" Wooseok hesitates, it's not like something _actually_ happened. "Are you ok?" He hesitates again, his body is fine but his mind is in disarray and his heart won't fucking calm down. "Do you want to talk about it?"

Slowly, he nods his head and Yein breathes a sigh of relief.

Wooseok allows himself to be pulled to his room and then to his nest, glad his friend decided they should hold this conversation here. He doesn't try to find the correct words, while he's usually well-spoken, Wooseok can't find it in himself to care at the moment.

Because all he needs to say out loud is a single sentence, one that has been pushed to the back of his mind, to a dark little corner because out of sight out of mind or so he wanted to believe.

"I like Jinhyuk,"

The alpha's smiling face flashed across his mind, that kind glint in his expressive eyes, the warmth he exudes, his charm that in the end, even Wooseok was weak to.

"I really like Jinhyuk,"

An alpha, bigger and stronger than him, someone who could very easily overpower him if he desired. Wooseok still can remember when the omega inside of him tried to submit when faced with an angry Jinhyuk.

"_Fuck_, do I like him,"

But Jinhyuk had always been nice to him, always friendly and gentle, respectful of Wooseok's boundaries even when the omega never told him about them, he had even stopped Wooseok from submitting to him when he knows so many other alphas would have puffed their chests with pride at having Wooseok do something like that.

"I'm in _love_ with him,"

Wooseok wants to wrap himself in Jinhyuk's arms, longs to nuzzle his neck and breath in that perfect mix of citrus and wood that comforts him like no other scent ever has, he wants to kiss his soft smile, to hold his hand and go out on dates, stargaze with him on the beach, to go visit Disneyland with him and wear matching headbands.

He looks up at his friend who still holds him, their eyes locking and Yein's showing him only understanding and care, he sees his reflection in his eyes, sees the way his cheeks are dusted in pink and the glistening tears pricking at his own eyes.

"I love Jinhyuk."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And that's it for this chapter~! 
> 
> Mogu could tell Wooseok was happy by his scent btw, he was so close to his scent glands he can actually detect the change in mood (something other omegas or alphas don't need to be as close for)
> 
> I hope you all liked this chapter~!

**Author's Note:**

> Kudos, comments and suggestions are always welcome~  
Find me on Twitter @Mapachiii where I have a CC


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